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2008 Beijing Olympic Preview: Men’s Shot Put

Posted August 7th, 2008 at 12:10 PM by Jesse Squire

Section: News & Results, Track & Field, Olympics

Men’s Shot Put
The Schedule: qualifying and finals, Friday Aug 15
The Americans: #1 Reese Hoffa, #2 Adam Nelson, #3 Christian Cantwell
The Contenders:#4 Tomasz Majewski (POL), #5 Dorian Scott (JAM), #15 Andrei Mikhnevich (BLR)
The Stats: Records, 2008 List, 2007 Worlds, 2004 Olympics
The Medal Picks: T&FN-Hoffa, Nelson, Cantwell; SI-Hoffa, Nelson, Mikhnevich
The Story: Nelson has twice been an Olympic silver medalist, and this may be his last best chance at gold. In 2004 he lost on the tie-breaker, and in 2003 he was beaten at the Worlds by Mikhnevich, who had just come off a doping suspension, leaving Nelson infuriated. The Belarussian has mostly hid from the rest of the world this year but his results suggest he’ easily in form to put Nelson (or anyone else) out of the top spot again.

Cantwell dominated the early season but has fallen off over the last few months. Hoffa has been far and away the most consistent, so the safe money is on him. But when Nelson has hit it just right this year, which he’s done only twice, no one else can beat him.