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Christina Schwanitz takes women's shot put title in Beijing

Xinhua, August 22, 2015 Adjust font size:

World leader Christina Schwanitz of Germany edged local hopeful Gong Lijiao to claim the women's shot put title at the 2015 IAAF World Championships here on Saturday.

Thanks to her third round effort of 20.37 meters, the 29-year-old Schwanitz managed to upgrade her silver medal from the Moscow worlds 2013.

"This is an indescribable feeling, it feels so unreal. I do not know how to realize, how to capture it," said Schwanitz after the competition. "All because of the 7 centimeters (margin), all this in China, so far away from home."

"At the beginning it is difficult to get into the competition then to improve. It was good for me to get the lead after the third round, because then she had to throw before me and I could respond," the German added.

Gong Lijiao of China achieved three over-20m marks including the 20.30-meter opening hurl which gave her the silver. Michelle Carter of the United States took the bronze at 19.76m.

"It was very pity. I was beaten by only seven centimeters. I think I could have done better, but after my first throw, I felt cramp in my leg which affected the following rounds," said Gong, whose personal best is 20.35m.

"Overall the result is still satisfactory, it is my first silver medal (at World Championships)," said Gong, who is competing in her fifth World Championships with two bronze medals to her name. "I did not feel any particular pressure, but it is a shame that I was not able to use this opportunity here in front of a home crowd."

Schwanitz has been experiencing a overwhelming this year, improving her PB by 55 centimeters to 20.77. Her current PB was also set at Beijing's "Bird's Nest" in May at the IAAF World Challenges. Endi