Virgilijus Alekna of Lithuania produced his best throw this season on his very first visit to the pit to pocket the gold in the men's discus throw at the World Athletics Championships in Paris on Tuesday, giving his country its first medal at the games.

Alekna hurled the discus 69.69m, well below his personal best of 73.88m set in Vilnius, the capital of Lithuania, back in August 2000.

Hungarian Robert Fazekas won the silver with a throw of 69.01m, achieved on his second attempt. He too was way below his personal best of 71.70m set just 13 months ago.

The bronze medal also went to an East European athlete, Vasiliy Kaptyukh of Belarus, who won it with an attempt of 66.51m, also on his first visit.

The sole American athlete in the final round of this event, Carl Brown, finished ninth with an attempt of 62.66m.

Brown was one of the very few athletes to improve with each throw, recording his best in his third attempt. But then he failed in his remaining three attempts. Otherwise most of the other competitors recorded their best throws on their first or second visit and then went downhill.

Photograph: Getty Images