Russian javelin thrower loses crown at World Championship

MOSCOW/HELSINKI, August 11 (RIA Novosti) - Russian Sergei Makarov failed to retain his World Championship javelin crown in Helsinki on Wednesday night.

The 2003 champion picked up the bronze with a throw of 83.54 meters at the IAAF (International Association of the Athletics Federations) World Championship in the Finnish capital.

Estonian Andrus Varnik won the gold medal with a throw of 87.17 meters and the silver medal went to Norwegian Andreas Thorkildsen, the 2004 Athens Olympics Champion, with 86.18 meters.

Makarov initially lead with 83.30 meters in rainy weather, but his rivals managed to do better when the clouds had cleared up.

"It was hard to coordinate my movements in bad weather with the strong head wind," Makarov said. "On top of that I had strong rivals - Estonian Andrus Varnik and Athens Olympic Champion from Norway Andreas Thorkildsen. So that is only why I won the bronze."