The Upper Austrian finished fifth on Wednesday in the Stade de France with 67.54 m. Gold sensationally went to Jamaican Roje Stona with an Olympic record of 70.00 m, who beat world record holder Mykolas Alekna from Lithuania (69.97) and Australian Matthew Denny (69.31). The ÖOC is still waiting for its second medal at these games.
The spectators in the stadium were amazed. Alekna started with 68.55 m, but Weißhaidinger failed to achieve the desired result in the first attempt with 60.02. In the second round, European champion Kristjan Čeh caught up with 68.41, Denny countered with 69.31 and Alekna with 69.97. Weißhaidinger gave up the last place, temporarily moving up to fourth place with 67.54.
Stona succeeded in the fourth attempt
The European Vice-Champion and Tokyo third-place finisher was not to make it any further that evening. Stona, however, hurled the apparatus to the later winning distance in the fourth round. European Champion Čeh only managed fourth place, and Tokyo Olympic Champion and Budapest World Champion Daniel Ståhl from Sweden only managed seventh place.
