Posted: August 19, 2004

Athletics:Nelson wins silver in shot put

ANCIENT OLYMPIA, Greece - Adam Nelson (Athens, Ga.) took home his second career Olympic silver medal in the men's shot put here Wednesday afternoon, in a nail-biting competition that saw gold medalist Yuriy Bilonog of Ukraine win the competition over Nelson on his last throw.

It was the sixth consecutive Olympiad in which an American man has won a medal in the shot, and the sixth straight with at least a silver medal. Manuel Martinez of Spain earned the bronze (20.70m/67-11), while two-time American Olympic medalist John Godina (Mesa, Ariz.) placed ninth.

Sixth in the throwing order, Nelson opened with a throw of 21.16m/69-5.25. It was to be his only legal throw of the competition, and would hold up as the first-place throw until the penultimate attempt of the competition. On Nelson's second-round attempt, the shot slipped from his grip in the circle, and in the third round Nelson himself slipped.

Bilonog, the 2002 European champion, opened strong with a season-best 21.15m/69-4.75, then replicated that distance on his second throw. With Nelson fouling on his second through fifth throws, Bilonog stepped into the ring and before an open door on his last attempt.

As Nelson waited for his own final toss, Bilonog matched Nelson with a throw of 21.16m/69-5.25, which put him in the lead because his second-best throw was better than Nelson's (who had no legal second mark).

The demonstrative Nelson, who won the favor of the equally demonstrative crowd early on, then stepped into the ring and unleashed what looked to be a possible winning throw, only to have it declared foul.

Godina posted his only legal throwing the third round with a toss of 20.19m/66-3, which placed him ninth - just one position of making the cut of the top eight throwers who get three more attempts each. The field announcer had declared Godina needed a throw of 20.07m/65-10.25 to make the cut, but Godina's hopes were dashed when he discovered he was ninth.

Team USA quotes

Adam Nelson

"I really thought this would be my day and my year. The competition site and venue was just the kind of place I enjoy competing in. I just didn't perform well today. I couldn't get my competitive rhythm. I was lucky enough to finish second. My hat's off to Yuriy (gold medalist Bilonog) and the other guys who competed hard. They were solid the entire competition. I just didn't follow up.

"The circle was great. There were no complaints. The only person to blame is myself. I went out there and lost the competition. That's how it goes sometimes.

"It's hard to lose. I didn't throw well today. There was always something happening with me. The second throw I lost the shot off my neck. The third throw I got distracted just as I was starting to throw and I started to slip. That is not acceptable at this level and if you do that you aren't going to win. You have to respond when the competition comes back. I didn't have that today and that's a big disappointment.

"The Olympic spirit really lives long here. It is probably the greatest place I have ever competed."

John Godina

"I really do not understand what happened today. I warmed up throwing 22.50's in the other ring. I really though I had made the final. Then they told me I was out. I should have won it. I screwed up. I'll definitely be back for another Olympics."