Shot-putter heaves home bronze
Shot-putter Joachim B. Olsen leaves the European Championships with a bronze medal
Joachim B. Olsen took home the bronze medal in the shot-put Monday from this year's European Track and Field Championships in Göteborg, Sweden. He should have gotten the gold.
Olsen stood in second place when his last heave seemed clearly to be the longest of the day. But the distance was measured at only 21.04 meters, shorter than his previous attempt of 21.09.
German Ralf Bartels won the gold with a shot of 21.13 meters, and Belarus' Andrei Mikhnevish later outdistanced Olsen to take the silver.
Immediately after Olsen's attempt Danish coach, Vesteinn Hafsteinsson, received several phone calls from numerous countries' athletic personnel, indicating that the shot was measured incorrectly. The Danish team lodged a protest, but it was ultimately denied.
'I saw the replays on TV and the mark looked strange,' said Olsen to DR Sport. 'It's a shame for everyone that there has to be doubts about the results.'
It was, in any case, Olsen's seventh medal in international championship competition.
'It's always good to get a medal,' added Olsen. 'But when it was so close to gold, naturally I'm a little disappointed.'