How it works
Athletes throw a metal disc (2kg for men, 1kg for women) that’s 22cm (8.66in) in diameter as far as possible while remaining inside a 2.5m-diameter (8ft 2.5in) circle.
In order for the throw to be measured the disc must land inside a marked sector and the athlete must not leave the circle before it has landed, and then only from the rear half of the circle.
The thrower typically takes one-and-a-half spins before releasing the disc.
Competitors will commonly throw four or six times per competition.
In the event of a tie the winner will be the athlete with the second-longest throw, and so on.
History
Greek poet Homer made reference to the event in The Iliad's description of the funeral games for Patroclus around 800BC. The discus was introduced as part of the pentathlon in the Ancient Olympics of 708BC (the first Olympics was held in 776BC). The enduring image of the Greek discus thrower comes from the iconic 5th century BC statue by the great sculptor Myron.
The men’s discus has been part of every Modern Olympics (i.e. since 1896) — when athletes had to throw from a pedestal. It was also one of the five disciplines contested when women made their athletics debut, at the 1928 Games.
Did you know
Discus is the only track and field event in which a world record has never been set at an Olympic Games.
Gold standard
East and North European athletes have dominated the men’s event in recent years, with Germany, Russia and Lithuania excelling. Lithuania has won three of the past four Olympic gold medals.
Of the women, Germany, Russia and Belarus are the principal nations.
Icons
Al Oerter
A New York-born prodigy (his talent was only discovered when he hurled a discus that had fallen at his feet on the running track), Oerter became the first man to win four successive Olympic golds in the same event: 1956, 1960, 1964 and 1968. He came out of retirement in 1980 and, after finishing fourth in the Olympic Trials, won an 'alternate' spot on the team in the year of the US boycott.
Faina Melnik
The Russian was the finest female thrower of the 1970s. She won two European titles and took Olympic gold in 1972. She was ranked world number one between 1971 and 1977.