This was just a normal competition. YEAH RIGHT!

Situated in Kungsträdgården, "King's Garden" in the centre of Stockholm, the men’s Shot Put took over the city today. A crowd of a couple of thousand (500 standing on a temporary tribune built to the left of the sector) hemmed in the throwers and the landing field, producing an intense atmosphere.

Accentuating the drama the pounding beat of rock and pop filled the air, musically inspiring 12 of the best throwers in the world to some marvellous performances.

There was only one negative and that was the early exit of the exuberant 2005 World champion Adam Nelson who powered out three 21m plus efforts only for the red flag for a foul to be raised on each occasion.

Yes the event missed Nelson’s showmanship in the final three rounds but the remaining eight putters who continued with three further tries did their best to hide their disappointment.

Essentially there was only one man in the game. World indoor and outdoor champion Christian Cantwell who provided his usual second half flourish – 21.06, 21.45, 22.09m - to dominate on this warm sunny day when temperatures were still in the mid-20s at 7pm local time. This was a perfect Scandinavian summer night and a perfect performance by the world season and Diamond Race leader.

Not to say that Cantwell’s opponents were overawed, as Olympic champion Tomasz Majewski of Poland replied with 21.01 in the fifth and had a huge foul in the sixth and final round. In third place was USA’s Cory Martin, with a third round 20.73.

This was a sporting event to savour.

Chris Turner for the Samsung Diamond League

Eugene, 3 July 2010

In the men’s Shot Put, Christian Cantwell of the USA, who has dominated every single Samsung Diamond League meet so far this season in Doha, Oslo and Rome, extended his winning streak here in Oregon.

The reigning world champion and 2008 Olympic silver medalist took the lead after a first toss of 21.78m and never relinquished it, producing a consistent series that he concluded with 22.41m effort, a new world leading performance and meet record.

With a fourth win here at the Prefontaine Classic- he earned the top spot in 2004, 2006 and 2007, the 29-year-old athlete now holds the record for the most victories at Hayward Field. Cantwell carries on the U.S. domination, as ever since 1976 and Peter Smock’s success, an American thrower has always captured the event at Hayward Field.

The muscular and confident Cantwell now stands alone on top of the Diamond Race with a total of 16 points.

Patrick Merle for the Samsung Diamond League

Rome 10 June 2010

Christian Cantwell saved his best for last and, after trailing Canada’s Dyan Armstrong for five rounds, dug deep and reached 21.67m with his final effort to grab victory from under the nose of his regular rival on the international circuit.

It didn’t produce the expected cry of joy from the American, there was more of a scowl that was etched across his face, as Cantwell had said that he was is the middle of a mid-season slump. But it was still enough to extend his winning streak to 15 competitions, which stretch back to last summer, and his perfect record in the IAAF Diamond League after victories in Doha and Oslo.

Armstrong, who extended his national record to 21.58m eight days ago, held the lead after the first round with 20.87m and extended it to 21.24m with his next attempt after briefly relinquishing pole position when Belarus’s Pavel Lyzhyn threw 20.89m.

The Canadian then went further still with 21.39m in the third round and 21.46m in the fourth, putting Cantwell under pressure after not getting over 21 metres with his first four efforts.

However, the reigning world champion, both indoors and outdoors, closed the gap with 21.20m on his penultimate attempt to move up to second place before showing his cool nerves and firing out the shot to his winning distance in the sixth and final round.

Reese Hoffa, one of four Americans in the field, moved up from fifth to second in the fourth round with 21.15m before slipping back to third when Cantwell belatedly got going with his final two efforts.

Phil Minshull for the IDL

This was the first time in a decade that the shot put had taken place at Bislett, and Christian Cantwell, the world indoor and outdoor champion, served notice that he intended to mark the occasion with a flourish when he took the lead with a fourth round effort of 21.31m.

That lifted the American above the two early leaders, Canada’s Dylan Armstrong, with 21.16m, and Poland’s Olympic champion Tomasz Majewski, with a season’s best of 21.12m.

Cantwell underlined his point by producing a throw of 21.22m with his fifth attempt, which would still have been enough to win it.

Mike Rowbottom for the IDL

Christian Cantwell established a world leading mark of 21.82 metres, a place of honour in his event - and also kept in with his wife, Terri. A good night's work.

Mrs. Cantwell had urged the world champion to do all he could this season to finish up as overall event winner in the Diamond League, hence winning a $40,000 and a Diamond Trophy. "I think she’s got a spot ready for it on her finger, so I can’t disappoint her," Cantwell said. And he was as good as his word as he took an early grip on this high class competition and never let go.

Cantwell's first effort of 21.32m put him into the lead, and also took him past a significant marker as he bettered by one the record of 85 throws beyond 21 metres set by his illustrious compatriot John Godina, the triple world champion. "Godina is a legendary figure in our sport, so to beat that mark would be pretty cool," Cantwell had said beforehand. Clad all in black, the towering figure looked pretty cool himself as he walked from the circle.

The world champion extended his lead with an effort of 21.63m in the second of the four rounds, and then threw 21.82m in the third and final rounds, with Ralf Bartels of Germany taking second place thanks to a first round throw of 21.14m with which he had looked highly pleased.

Meanwhile Poland's Olympic champion, Tomasz Majewski, was beginning to tug his beard in frustration as he registered a second no throw, toppling out of the circle in slow motion. After three fouls, he managed 20.39m, but could only finish fifth.

Hoffa, who had won the last four meetings in this stadium, edged into third place with his second round effort of 21.00m exactly.

Mike Rowbottom for the IDL

2009 season summary: Three men – Christian Cantwell, Thomasz  Majewski and Reese Hoffa - underlined in 2009 why they deserve the bigger stage which the Diamond League will give them. None of the six Golden League meetings hosted a men’s Shot Put during a season in which Cantwell scooped the honours but in which Majewski, the Olympic champion, and Hoffa, the 2007 World champion, proved worthy opponents.

In the space of four weeks between mid-August and mid-September, Cantwell, from the United States, won the World title in Berlin, set the season’s longest mark in Zagreb, and won at the World Athletics Final, in Thessaloniki. His three winning marks came with the only three 22 metres throws of the year – 22.16 (Zagreb), 22.07 (Thessaloniki) and 22.03 (Berlin).

Counting the 2008 the Shanghai Golden Grand Prix, which marked the start of the 2009 World Athletics Tour, Cantwell won four WAT competitions (also Dakar, London, Zagreb) while compatriot Hoffa won three (Doha, Hengelo, Eugene) and Majewski one (Stockholm, Polish record 21.95). But, while Majewski finished 2nd in the World Championships and in the World Athletics Final, Hoffa recorded two 4th places.