Reigning Olympic champion and 2001 World Championships silver medallist Virgiljus ALEKNA (LTU) had already showed the others his class in the qualifying ropund. With the others struggling to reach the qualifying standard of 64.50m, Alekna launched his discus to 68.29m on his first throw. The Lithuanian did not have the best start to his season, but managed to get himself into form just before the World Championships. In his last competition before Paris, the Zurich Weltklasse meeting, his first three throws were over 68m, including a season's best of 68.95m.
In the final Alekna, already a clear favourite after the qualification, almost killed the competition with his first throw. The discus landed at 69.69m, a season's best for the Olympic champion, and only three centimetres less than Lars RIEDEL'S (GER) winning mark in Edmonton two years ago. "Mister Discus" also had a good start to his competition, especially after all the injury problems he's had during the season. His first throw of 66.28m was only enough for the fourth place, however.
The 2002 European champion, Robert FAZEKAS (HUN), the world leading thrower this and also last year, answered with his second throw. Fazekas, unbeaten before the World Championships final, only just beat the Lithuanian in Zurich. The Hungarian's second throw was measured at 69.01m and the fight for the gold was all but finished.
The 36-year-old veteran from Belarus, Vasiliy KAPTYUKH, came to Paris with a season's best of only 64.94m. This, however, was not able to stop Kaptyukh, who finished fourth at the 2000 Olympic Games. The Belarussian bettered his season's best in the qualifying round, with 65.76m, and his first throw in the finalù was 66.51, giving him the bronze medal.
All the medal throws were seen in the first two rounds of the competition and not much happened after that. Riedel was able to equal his 66.28m in the third round and Alekna was close to his best in the fourth, throwing 68.75m. Fazekas, fighting to avoid his first loss of the season, put everything into his sixth and final attempt. The throw was good, but the distance of 68.78m was not enough to beat Alekna today.
Another German, Michael MÖLLENBECK, the Edmonton bronze medallist, was fifth with 66.23m, and Frantz KRUGER (RSA) sixth, 65.26m.
In the final Alekna, already a clear favourite after the qualification, almost killed the competition with his first throw. The discus landed at 69.69m, a season's best for the Olympic champion, and only three centimetres less than Lars RIEDEL'S (GER) winning mark in Edmonton two years ago. "Mister Discus" also had a good start to his competition, especially after all the injury problems he's had during the season. His first throw of 66.28m was only enough for the fourth place, however.
The 2002 European champion, Robert FAZEKAS (HUN), the world leading thrower this and also last year, answered with his second throw. Fazekas, unbeaten before the World Championships final, only just beat the Lithuanian in Zurich. The Hungarian's second throw was measured at 69.01m and the fight for the gold was all but finished.
The 36-year-old veteran from Belarus, Vasiliy KAPTYUKH, came to Paris with a season's best of only 64.94m. This, however, was not able to stop Kaptyukh, who finished fourth at the 2000 Olympic Games. The Belarussian bettered his season's best in the qualifying round, with 65.76m, and his first throw in the finalù was 66.51, giving him the bronze medal.
All the medal throws were seen in the first two rounds of the competition and not much happened after that. Riedel was able to equal his 66.28m in the third round and Alekna was close to his best in the fourth, throwing 68.75m. Fazekas, fighting to avoid his first loss of the season, put everything into his sixth and final attempt. The throw was good, but the distance of 68.78m was not enough to beat Alekna today.
Another German, Michael MÖLLENBECK, the Edmonton bronze medallist, was fifth with 66.23m, and Frantz KRUGER (RSA) sixth, 65.26m.
