Kanter, 41, who retired from top-level athletics in 2018, was nonetheless victorious at last year's Estonian championships, with a result of 58.60 m.

The discus thrower captured a gold medal at the 2007 World Championships with a throw of 68.94 m, coming in ahead of second placed Robert Harting of Germany, by nearly two and a half meters.

The year after, at the 2008 Summer Olympics in Beijing, China, Kanter became olympic champion with a throw of 68.82 m. Silver was achieved by Pole Piotr Malachowski, who Kanter is now training.

Kanter's personal best of 73.38 m ranks all time third, only behind Lithuanian Virgilijus Alekna and German Jürgen Schult.

Kanter, who has spent his post-sports career running the Estonian Olympic Committee's Athlete's Committee, has been training with former rivals like Piotr Malachowski and fellow Pole Robert Urbanek for nearly two years.

On training and mentoring Malachowski, Kanter's erstwhile fierce rival, and Urbanek, the Estonian said: "This medal machine is easier to mold; he listens to my advice more. The younger man (Urbanek - ed.) is more aware and should not be interrupted too much. He has a clear vision. But he will listen to me on some days."

The Estonian championships will begin on August 8 at 2 p.m.

Kanter was also recently notably included in an advertisement for sports equipment company Nike, where a split video of him throwing a discus was used (see below at 0:32). The commercial also included sports superstars such as tennis players Serena Williams and Rafael Nadal, basketball legend LeBron James and footballer Cristiano Ronaldo.

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