Svetlana Krivelyova wins the shot put final (© Getty Images)
It is a dangerous statement to make, especially with the competitive temperament of Germany’s 1996 Olympic champion Astrid Kumbernuss waiting to confound the form book but it is nearly certain that the women's Shot medals will be divided solely between Russia or Belarus in Olympia.
Only three women have so far put beyond 20 metres this summer. Topping the World list in 2004 are the Russians Irina Korzhanenko (20.79m) and Svetlana Krivelyova (20.69), and the Belarussian Natalya Kharaneko (20.04).
The Russians also top the IAAF World Rankings for the Event - Krivelyova (1st) and Korzhanenko (2nd).
Yumileidi Cumbá of Cuba with a 19.97 PB win at the recent IberoAmerican Championships is the fourth best thrower of this summer on the performance list. Former three-time World champion Kumbernuss, who was the bronze medallist in Sydney is the next furthest (19.60), while Nadezhda Ostapchuk of Belarus, stands sixth on the lists with a 19.37 performance from back in May.
Reigning Olympic champion, and 2001 World gold medal winner Yanina Korolchik, who is also from Belarus, has not competed since winning the 2003 national title, while Russia’s Larisa Peleshenko, who took the silver in Sydney 2000 has retired.
Germany’s Nadine Kleinert (19.27), and Olga Rybinkina of Russia (19.12) are the only other athletes in the world this year over 19 metres, such is the sudden and dramatic drop-off from the very top of the world’s elite to those of more moderate international standard.
But returning to our opening remarks, it would be one of the biggest shocks of Games history should neither 2003 World champion Krivelyova, 35, who was the Olympic champion in 1992, nor Korzhanenko, 30, the European champion, take the Olympic laurels.
Significantly, Korzhanenko has taken two 20 metre competition battles ahead of Krivelyova this summer, first beating the World champion in Kazan (8 July – 20.65 to 20.49), and then at the national championships in Tula (20.79 to 20.69).
With another 20m competition in Tula on 5 June (20.42) to her credit, Korzhanenko, who won the 2003 World Indoor title, stands as the Olympic favourite.
It is not beyond possibility that Russia will take a podium sweep, as Rybinkina their number three, is close in the current season’s lists to Cumbá and Kleinert, who were the minor World Indoor Championships medallists this winter.
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NOTE. The annual problem of very few international competitions on which to judge form is repeated this again year, as few of the world’s top-10 have actually met in action this season.
