Note: Single-source report; awaiting corroboration.
The discus throw is a track and field event where athletes throw a heavy, round disc from inside a 2.5-metre diameter circle. The goal is to achieve the greatest distance, with the winner being the athlete who throws the discus the farthest. The event traces its origins to the ancient Olympic Games in 708 BC and is mentioned in Homer’s Iliad around 800 BC. It was part of the pentathlon at the Ancient Olympics from 708 BC. The iconic image of the discus thrower comes from a 5th-century BC statue by Myron.
The discus weighs 2 kilograms for men (22 cm diameter) and 1 kilogram for women (18 cm diameter). The men’s discus was introduced at the modern Olympic Games in 1896, and the women’s event debuted in 1928.
The first men’s world record was set by James Duncan of the United States in 1912 with a throw of 47.58 meters. The record was broken multiple times, with the first throw over 60 meters achieved by Jay Silvester in 1961. In 1986, Jürgen Schult of Germany set a record of 74.08 meters, which stood until April 2024. The current men’s world record holder is Mykolas Alekna of Lithuania with a throw of 74.35 meters.
For women, the earliest ratified world record was set by Yvonne Tembouret of France in 1923 with a throw of 27.39 meters. Successive advances were made by Lucie Petit-Diagre, Maria Vidlakova, and Gisela Mauermayer in the 1930s. The first throw beyond 60 meters was by Liesel Westermann in 1967. The current women’s world record is held by Gabriele Reinsch of Germany, who threw 76.80 meters in 1988, becoming the first woman to surpass 75 meters.
Performing the discus throw successfully requires significant strength, speed, balance, and explosive power.