Olympic Competition Winds Up for Estonia
Though the closing ceremony is still a few days off, competition in the 2012 Olympic Games ended for Estonia on Thursday when Anna Iljuštšenko placed 15th in the women's high jump qualifier, just shy of the top-12 position needed to advance to the final.
For the nation's Olympics watchers, the games presented some expected results along with a number of surprises both good and bad.
Gerd Kanter's bronze medal win in discus was of course welcome, if not too surprising, considering his past achievements. But high hopes had also been pinned on épée fencer Nikolai Novosjolov, whose elimination from the competition in the round of 16 was a shock to fans.
That loss, coupled with the men's quadruple sculls rowing team's frustrating near miss in the finals, left Estonia in danger of remaining completely medal-less in London. Of the country's 26 other athletes, 12 had failed to advance past the first rounds in their events. Only Finn-class sailor Deniss Karpak, swimmer Triin Aljand and the aforementioned Iljuštšenko came within reach of their respective finals.
Fortunes changed on August 6 when Greco-Roman wrestler Heiki Nabi surprised the nation by earning a silver medal.
Below is a list of Estonia's competitors and what they achieved in London:
Archery
Reena Pärnat (Women's Individual): 52nd in ranking round
Athletics
Anna Iljuštšenko (Women's High Jump): 15th in qualification, 1.90m
Märt Israel (Men's Discuss Throw): 25th in qualification, 60.34m
Gerd Kanter (Men's Discuss Throw): Bronze medal, 68.03m
Rasmus Mägi (Men's 400m hurdles): 27th in round 1, 50.05
Risto Mätas (Men's Javelin Throw): 21st in qualification, 78.56m
Marek Niit (Men's 100m): 41st in round 1, 10.40; (Men's 200m): 38th in round 1, 20.82
Grit Šadeiko (Heptathlon): 23rd, 6,018 points
Evelin Talts (Women's Marathon): 103rd, 2:54:15
Aleksander Tammert (Men's Discuss Throw): 27th in qualification, 60.20m
Raigo Toompuu (Men's Shot Put):30th in qualification, 18.91m
Badminton
Raul Must (Men's Singles): Eliminated in round of 16
Cycling
Rene Mandri (Men's Road Race): 50th, 5:46:37
Grete Treier (Women's Road Race): 17th, 3:35:56
Fencing
Nikolai Novosjolov (Men's individual épée): Eliminated in round of 16
Judo
Martin Padar (Men's +100kg): Eliminated in round of 32
Rowing
Tõnu Endrekson, Andrei Jämsä, Allar Raja, Kaspar Taimsoo (Men's Quadruple Sculls): 4th in medals race, 5:46.96
Geir Suursild, Jüri-Mikk Udam (Men's Double Sculls): 4th in repechage, 6:38.50
Sailing
Johannes Ahun (Men's RS:X): 30th
Deniss Karpak (Men's Finn): 11th
Anna Pohlak (Women's Laser Radial): 35th
Ingrid Puusta (Women's RS:X): 15th
Karl-Martin Rammo (Men's Laser): 18th
Shooting
Anžela Voronova (Women's 10m Air Rifle): 42nd in qualification; (Women's 50m Rifle 3 Positions): 31st in qualification
Swimming
Triin Aljand (Women's 50m Freestyle): 19th in heats, 25.33; (Women's 100m Butterfly): 35th in heats, 1:00.43
Martin Liivamägi (Men's 100m Breaststroke): 29th in heats; (Men's 200m Individual Medley): 25th in heats, 2:01.09
Wrestling
Ardo Arusaar (Men's 96kg Greco-Roman): Eliminated in 1/8 finals
Heiki Nabi (Men's 120kg Greco-Roman): Silver medal
