Andrei Mikhnevich of Belarus won the gold in the men's shot put event on the opening day of the World Athletics Championship in Paris, France, on Saturday with a personal best throw of 21.69metres.

Mikhnevich made the winning throw on his second attempt.

Adam Nelson of the United States won the silver with a throw of 21.26m on his fourth attempt. But he never really posed any kind of threat to Mikhnevich.

Yuriy Bilonog of the Ukraine won the bronze with a throw of 21.10m on his third attempt. Bilonog was in line for the silver with this throw, but then Nelson, who had fouled his second and third attempts, came up with his best throw of the day.