Gerd Kanter won the Olymic men's discus throw title Tuesday with 68.82 meters for Estonia's first athletics gold at the Beijing Olympic Games.

Estonia's Gerd Kanter won the men's discus throw gold at the Beijing Olympic Games on Tuesday. [Xinhua]

Kanter, 28, came into the Beijing Games as a big favorite after winning the 2007 World Championships. Piotr Malachowski of Poland took the silver at 67.82 and Virgilijus Alekna from Lithuania, the bronze with 67.79.

Most of the throwers struggled at 67 meters in the first three attempts except Malachowski, who marked 67.82 in his second throw to lead into the last three throws, following by German Robert Harting at 67.09.

But Kanter, who ranked third after the qualification, shocked the field, as he sealed the victory in his fourth throw and no one else was able to match it. Malachowski had no misses before failing the last attempt, but he could not reach 68 meters to make a challenge to the Estonian.