Shot Put, Men

Leo Sexton led the 1932 world lists with 1928 silver medalist, Herman Brix, but Brix did not make the US Olympic team in 1932. In the Olympic final, Harlow Rothert led in the first two rounds, with of 15.670 (51-5) and 15.675 (51-5¼). Sexton took the lead in round three with 15.77 (51-9) and he improved in the final round to the winning mark of 16.005 (52-6 3/16). A few weeks later Sexton broke the world record with 16.16 (53-0¼), but in September 1932, František Douda, the bronze medalist, broke that record with 16.20 (53-1¾).

The results in the 1932 Official Report for places 7-14 are almost certainly wrong. Only final results are given in that book, with no series listed. The only 1932 source that gives a complete series for the shot put is the Finnish report, Olympialaiskisat Los Angelesissa 1932. It lists the results as we have given here, several of which are confirmed by several other 1932 newspaper reports, mainly concerning the Finnish putter, Kalle Järvinen. It appears that whoever transcribed the official results for the 1932 Official Report transposed the marks in the third round (for places 7-14 at least) into the column for the final results. The 1932 Official Report lists places 7-14 (in Imperial measure) as follows: 7) József Darányi (HUN) 48-1½ (14.67); 8) Jules Noël (FRA) 47-8 (14.53); 9) Zygmunt Heljasz (POL) 47-6⅜ (14.49); 10) Harry Hart (RSA) 46-7⅝ (14.22); 11) Clement Duhour (FRA) 45-9½ (13.96); 12) Kalle Järvinen (FIN) 45-7½ (13.91); 13) Paul Winter (FRA) 43-1¼ (13.14); 14) Pedro Elsa (ARG) 36-9¼ (11.21).

There are multiple other contemporary sources from 1932 with slightly differing results. We think the following is the best estimate of the final results but, suffice to say, it should not be assumed that they are 100% accurate. Notably, there is an Austrian report that Emil Janausch did compete but did not advance from the qualifying round. There are also Brazilian reports that their athlete, Antônio Lira, did record a mark, 12.96, however, that report was only published three months after the Games ended.