2011 World Champs/Daegu: Day 4, Session 2: Robert Harting of Germany defends his discus title, by Larry Eder

Robert Harting, 2011 WC Discus, gold medalist, photo by PhotoRun.net

Robert Harting, when we met with him in Hengelo, told us that he was not happy with his throwing at the time. ” I need some more training,” Harting noted. He was focused, he told us, on the World Championships and was quite concerned about his competitors.

Well, Robert Harting just did it. In his first attempt, he threw 68.49m, went into first place. He held it all night. His series, 68.49m, a foul, 68.10, 68.97m, 66.33, and a foul, gave him three throws that would have taken the gold medal.

Gerd Kanter, 2011 WC discus, silver medalist, photo by PhotoRun.net

Gerd Kanter of Estonia, took the silver, throwing 66.95m in his second throw. His series was 62.79m, 66.95m, 66.13m, 66.90m, a foul, and then, 65.83m.

Ehsan Hadadi, 2011 WC Discus, bronze medalist (photo from Split 2010), photo by PhotoRun.net

Ehsan Hadadi of Iran took the bronze, with a seasonal best of 66.08m. His series was 65.29m, 64.07m, a foul, a foul, then 66.90m, foul, and finally, 65.83.

In fourth, Mart Isreal of Estonia threw 65.20m. In fifth, Benn Harradine of Australia threw 64.77m. And in sixth, Virgilijus Alekna of Lithuania, two time World and Olympic champion, threw 64.09m.

Harting, as is his custom, ripped off his singlet after winning the gold medal. And why should’nt he? He is the gold medalist in the discus?

Author

Larry Eder
Larry Eder has had a 52-year involvement in the sport of athletics. Larry has experienced the sport as an athlete, coach, magazine publisher, and now, journalist and blogger. His first article, on Don Bowden, America's first sub-4 minute miler, was published in RW in 1983. Larry has published several magazines on athletics, from American Athletics to the U.S. version of Spikes magazine. He currently manages the content and marketing development of the RunningNetwork, The Shoe Addicts, and RunBlogRun. Of RunBlogRun, his daily pilgrimage with the sport, Larry says: "I have to admit, I love traveling to far away meets, writing about the sport I love, and the athletes I respect, for my readers at runblogrun.com, the most of anything I have ever done, except, maybe running itself." Also does some updates for BBC Sports at key events, which he truly enjoys. Theme song: Greg Allman, " I'm no Angel."
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