Gerd Kanter of Estonia in action during the Men's Discus Throw Final (© Getty Images)
Olympic and World Discus Throw champion Gerd Kanter threw a world-leading 70.84m in Chula Vista, Calif., on Tuesday (28).
The Estonian, 29, reached 70.84m in the second round to surpass his previous world-leading mark of 69.70m acheived at the European Winter Throwing Cup on 15 March. Underscoring his solid current form, Kanter also threw 69.05m in the fifth round. His winning effort was the sixth farthest throw of his career. Kanter's 73.38m personal best, set in Helsingborg, Sweden, in 2006, ranks him as history's third farthest thrower.
Dutchman Erik Cadée was second with a 65.61m throw, an improvement on his personal best by nearly two metres. In a very solid competition, American Jarred Rome (65.43m), Omar El-Ghazaly (65.18m) of Egypt and another American, Niklas Arrhenius (65.00m) rounded out the top-five.
The meeting was the first of three 'USA World Record Challenge' meets hosted this month in California. The next two will be held in Salinas on 5 May and 12 May. Kanter has competed exeptionally well in Salinas in the past. In 2007 he threw 72.02m, and last year 71.88 at the Hartnell College venue, his second and third farthest throws ever.
Organisers and Bob Ramsak for the IAAF
