Alessandro Andrei
Alessandro Andrei ( born January 3, 1959 in Florence ) is an Italian former shot putter and Olympic champion.
Career
Up to Olympic victory (1977-1984)
His first international appearance was Alessandro Andrei 1977, when he was at the Junior European Championships in ninth in the shot put. 1981 was followed by a fourth place finish at the European Indoor Championships with 19.34 meters. A year later he was in the hall fifth with 19.49 meters, outdoors, he was at the European Championships in tenth with 19.28 meters. At the 1983 World Championships in Helsinki he finished with 20.07 meters square 7
The year 1984 began for Andrei by winning the bronze medal at the European Indoor Championships. With 20.32 meters he was only an inch behind the second-placed Swiss Werner Günthör, winner was Jānis Bojārs from the Soviet Union with 20.84 meters. Having been through the Olympic boycott of the Soviet bloc, some of the strongest shot put at the 1984 Olympics in Los Angeles, not at the start, were generally the putter from the United States as the favorites for the Olympic title. With his series ( 20.41 to 20.97 - 21.26 to 20.55 - 20.92 to 20.96 ) was Alessandro Andrei in the third attempt to take the lead and won gold against the three Americans Mike Carter (21, 09 ), Dave According to ( 20.97 ) and Augie Wolf ( 20,93 ). Far behind came in at number 5 Werner Günthör with 20.28 in the standings.
After the Olympic victory (1985-1992)
At the European Championships in 1986 Andrei finished with 20.73 meters in fourth place, one centimeter behind Udo Beyer of East Germany, Gold went to Günthör with 22.22 meters in front of Ulf Timmermann ( also GDR ) with 21.84 meters.
The biggest day in the career of Alessandro Andrei was the 12th August 1987. Prior to this date Andrei had the Italian 's shot put record 16 times improved up to 22.17 meters, a world record by Udo Beyer stood at 22.64 meters. Now, at the meeting in Viareggio him ( - 22,37 - 22.72 to 22.84 - 22.91 to 22.74 22:19) succeeded by far the best series of his career. Three course world records and five Italian national records in a competition gave rise to rumors that something might not be right. Above all, it was assumed that the Newton's ring was inflated to form a stronger gradient between the ring and shock - sector have ruled as allowed by the rules. But there were all three world records ( and of course all national records ) recognized. Alessandro Andrei came after this competition never more than 22 meters. Second in the World Record competition was a Leonardo Lazzeri with 17.37 meters.
Two and a half weeks after the three world records were the World Championships held in Rome. It won Werner Günthör with 22.23 meters in front of Andrei with 21.88 meters. At the 1988 Olympic Games in Seoul Andrei stepped up to defend his title, but not more than the world record holder after him Ulf Timmermann had outbid on 22 May 1988 at 23.06 meters. Timmermann then won even before Randy Barnes (USA ) and Werner Günthör. Andrei was seventh with 20.36 meters.
Andrei also was seventh at the World Indoor Championships in 1989 with 19.77 meters. A fifth place with 19.44 meters at the European Indoor Championships in 1990 and a sixth place two years later with 19.51 meters were his last two Endkampfplatzierungen in international championships. At the 1991 World Championships ( 12th place with 18.73 ) and at the 1992 Olympic Games (11th with 19.62 ) it was no longer possible advance into the final battle.
Alessandro Andrei was 1983-1986 and 1989-1992 Italian Champion in the shot put. He is 1.91 m tall and weighed about 118 kg competition times.