Athletics at the 2008 Beijing Summer Games:

The American threesome of Adam Nelson, Christian Cantwell, and Reese Hoffa was considered dominant and an American sweep seemed to be a real possibility. In the end they were left gasping just to get any medal. All three qualified easily but the problems were highlighted by Nelson, silver medalist in 2000 and 2004, who fouled three times and did not advance, with no fair mark in the final. The leader in round one was Pole Tomasz Majewski with 20.80 (68-3), but Belarussian Andrey Mikhnevich moved ahead in round two with 21.05 (69-0¾). Canada’s Dylan Armstrong moved into second with 21.04 (69-0½) and Cantwell moved into third with 20.98 (68-10). Majewski came back in the third stanza, taking the lead with 21.21 (69-7) which would eventually be good enough for the gold medal. Cantwell, Armstrong, and Mikhnevich could not improve in rounds four or five, but Majewski did, tossing 21.51 (70-7), the only 70-footer and the best mark of the competition. Going into the final round, no American was in a podium position, with Cantwell in fourth, and Hoffa standing seventh with 20.53 (67-4¼). Cantwell then came thru for the silver medal with a final round effort of 21.09 (69-2½), preventing the vaunted American threesome from being shut out. Majewski’s previous best finish at a major competition had been fifth at the 2007 World Championships.