The top 2015 World Championship hopefuls in the discus and shot put
The 2015 World Championship women’s shot put competition begins with the qualification round the first morning of the Beijing Championships, on August 22. The final will take place later the same day. The men’s qualifications and final are set for the next day. The discus throw is a two-day event, with the women competing August 24-25 and the men following on August 27 and 29.
Men’s Discus Throw
2013 World Champion: Robert Harting, Germany
World Championship Record: Virgilijus Alekna, Lithuania, 70.17 meters (230 feet, 2 inches), 2005
2015 World Leader: Piotr Malachowski, Poland, 68.29/224-0 (Cetniewo, August 1)
Other athletes in 2015 Top Ten: Jason Morgan, Jamaica, 68.19/223-8; Christoph Harting, Germany, 67.93/222-10; Zoltan Kovago, Hungary, 67.39/221-1; Lukas Weisshaidinger, Austria, 67.24/220-7; Gerhard Mayer, Austria, 67.20/220-5; Benn Harridine, Australia, 66.75/218-11; Martin Kupper, Estonia, 66.67/218-8.
Notes: Malachowski has won four of the six Diamond League events. Defending champion Robert Harting ruptured a knee ligament in September of last year and hasn’t competed in 2015. Harting will not participate in the World Championships, but his younger brother, Christoph, should be among the top medal contenders, having posted the third- and fourth-longest throws of 2015. Gerd Kanter of Estonia, the 2013 bronze medalist, owns a season best of 66.02/216-7.
Mac Wilkins' Throwing Tips
Women’s Discus Throw
2013 World Champion: Sandra Perkovic, Croatia
World Championship Record: Martina Hellmann, East Germany, 71.62 meters (234 feet, 11 inches), 1987
2015 World Leader: Denia Caballero, Cuba, 70.65/231-9 (Bilbao, June 20)
Other athletes in 2015 Top 20: Sandra Perkovic, Croatia, 70.08/229-11; Yaime Perez, Cuba, 67.13/220-2; Dani Samuels, Australia, 66.21/217-2; Anna Ruh, Germany, 66.14/216-11; Julia Fischer, Germany, 65.98/216-5.
Notes: Perkovic owns six of the season’s top 10 throws and has won five of the six Diamond League events. Caballero has the other four top-ten throws of 2015. The 2013 silver medalist, Melina Robert-Michon of France, has posted a season best of 65.04/213-4. The Moscow silver medalist, Cuba’s Yarelis Barrios, has not competed this year after giving birth to a daughter in January.
Men’s Shot Put
2013 World Champion: David Storl, Germany
World Championship Record: Werner Gunthor, Switzerland, 22.23 meters (72 feet, 11 inches), 1987
2015 World Leader: Joe Kovacs, United States, 22.56/74-0 (Monaco, July 17)
Other athletes in 2015 Top 20: David Storl, Germany, 22.20/72-10; O’Dayne Richards, Jamaica, 21.69/71-1¾; Christian Cantwell, United States, 21.64/70-11¾; Asmir Kolasinac, Serbia, 21.58/70-9½; Tomas Walsh, New Zealand, 21.50/70-6¼; Jordan Clarke, United States, 21.49/70-6
Notes: Kovacs and Storl have shared the spotlight this season about equally. Each has won three of the six Diamond League events, and each owns five of the year’s top 10 throws (although Kovacs has the top two, and four of the top five). The 2013 World Championship silver medalist, Ryan Whiting, did not make the U.S. team (which includes Kovacs, Cantwell, Clarke and 2014 Diamond League champion Reese Hoffa). Moscow bronze medalist Dylan Armstrong will not compete in Beijing as he continues to recover from 2014 elbow surgery.
Women’s Shot Put
2013 World Champion: Valerie Adams, New Zealand
World Championship Record: Natalya Lisovskaya, Soviet Union, 21.24 meters (69 feet, 8¼ inches), 1987; Valerie Adams, New Zealand, 21.24, 2011
2015 World Leader: Christina Schwanitz, Germany, 20.77/68-1½ (Beijing, May 20)
Other athletes in 2015 Top 20: Gong Lijiao, China, 20.34/66-8¾; Michelle Carter, United States, 20.02/65-8.
Notes: Schwanitz has won four of the six Diamond League meets and owns seven of the year’s top 10 throws; Gong has the other three, along with one Diamond League victory. Adams, who’s recovering from 2014 elbow and shoulder surgeries, posted a season best 18.79/61-7¾ while placing fifth in Paris on July 4, her first meet of the year. Adams has won the last four World Championship gold medals.
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