¶2012 OG: mDT–Robert Harting (Ger) 224-0 (68.27)

[dj]

T&FN formchart advancers to final

1. Robert Harting (Germany)
2. Virgilijus Alekna (Lithuania)
3. Piotr Małachowski (Poland)
4. Ehsan Hadadi (Iran)
5. Gerd Kanter (Estonia)
6. Benn Harradine (Australia)
7. Mario Pestano (Spain)
8. Robert Urbanek (Poland)
9. Traves Smikle (Jamaica)
10 Lance Brooks (USA)

[EPelle]

Olympic Record: 69.89, Virgilijus Alekna, LTU, Athens 2004

2008 Results: G-Gerd Kanter, EST, 68.82; B-Piotr Małachowski, POL, 67.82; B-Virgilijus Alekna, LTU, 67.79
================================================================================

[LopenUupunut]

Kanter survives qualification scare...

Gerd Kanter x 59.72 66.39 Q

Okoye also through in round 3.

[bushop]

Harting was frightening.
So easy on his 66m throw... looks like the rest are throwing for silver.

Can anyone recall a 66m+ discus thrower using a 'hook' grip with the discus?
Okoye holds the discus with his intermediate phalanges... not the typical distal phalange (I can't think of anything else to call them).

[croflash]

Harting was frightening.
So easy on his 66m throw... looks like the rest are throwing for silver.

Can anyone recall a 66m+ discus thrower using a 'hook' grip with the discus?
Okoye holds the discus with his intermediate phalanges... not the typical distal phalange (I can't think of anything else to call them).

I think Harting could break 70 meters (which would also be a new OR).

[AKR]

Good job Vikas Gowda in the QR! now get some medal for India

[croflash]

Alekna starts with 67.38.

[croflash]

Hadadi 68.18!

[croflash]

Harting 67.79 despite a less than optimal throw.

[lapsus]

Wonderful competition

[nbonaddio]

Fabulous competition right now! Hadadi gets the flag after topping Harting, who had just taken the lead in his 5th throw.

[j-a-m]

Harting wins it, potential danger for the mascot...

[lapsus]

Poor defenseless shirt

[croflash]

You think Harting is happy?

[j-a-m]

You think Harting is happy?

Could be; his hurdle technique needs some improvement, though...

[lapsus]

You think Harting is happy?

Even a bit emotional, apparently

[SantaCruz]

his hurdle technique needs some improvement, though...

Yeah, but he's aware of that. Actually, he was quite self-critcial about his hurdling afterwards. When being confronted with a slow-mo by the German broadcasters, he noted he was rather jumping than running over the hurdles. He still sees his future in the discus.

[Rog]

I'm so glad Robert Harting won the discus. He's a real character. Must say I'd have loved to see Malachowski and Alekna get medals, though I'm happy Kanter got a second medal.

I love Robert's celebrations!

[bushop]

Robert Harting August 8
Puuh i just got robbed while i did some work to please athletic fans! I lost all my accredition for olympic village! - no entrance ;(

[uakari]

http://sports.yahoo.com/blogs/olympics- ... --oly.html

did he really go over the hurdles?

[alex26]

http://www.throwholics.com/2012/08/robe ... y-station/

"Harting showed guards his passport but they were not convinced it´s a famous athlete that just won his first Olympic title.

“I had to wait for hours to get a new accreditation. Meanwhile I slept on a bench and ground of the subway station,”

Also, Leif Arrhenius has some screen shots of Kanter's big throw that show it may have been mis-marked by some 20+ cm.

[gm]

Also, Leif Arrhenius has some screen shots of Kanter's big throw that show it may have been mis-marked by some 20+ cm.

That's all? Unless a landing disc makes a distinct mark, I usually figure there is a 30cm area of probability for getting the actual mark right.

[Norm Balke]

Marking the disc is guesswork at best unless you are RIGHT there (sort of unsafe) and it leaves a distinct mark (not a certainty). 20cm? 8 in. off? Sure you want those inches/cms back, but even measuring to the nearest cm in disc is sort of sketchy. Shot, hammer, they make distinct marks usually. Javelin, if it sticks, pretty easy.

[bushop]

... but even measuring to the nearest cm in disc is sort of sketchy.

For sure... bad rule change by the IAAF.

[Powell]

Alekna now has a 17-year run of top 6 finishes in all majors (OG, WC, EC). And I believe he's the first man in T&F to make finals of 5 OGs (Merlene Ottey did it at 200 from 1980 to 1996).

[errolM]

It was nice seeing Irena Swezinska presenting the medals, she loks great.