Discus Throw, Men

On 18 May 1962, Al Oerter, the two-time defending gold medalist, broke the world record for the first time. Further his throw of 61.10 (200-5½) was the first throw over 200 feet. He would set three more world records prior to the Tokyo Olympics. Over the last four years he had alternated winning the AAU Championship with Jay Silvester, who had twice set world records in 1961. Silvester also won the 1964 Olympic Trials, as Oerter qualified but for the third straight time, did not win the Trials. Then shortly before the Olympics, Czechoslovakian Ludvík Daněk broke Oerter’s world record. Oerter was further hampered because he had a cervical disc injury, and often competed wearing a neck collar in 1964. Then in Tokyo, he developed further problems when he slipped practicing on a wet ring, and tore rib cartilage. Everything seemed against him. Still he led the qualifying with 60.54 (198-7½).

In the final, Daněk opened up with 59.73 (195-11¾) to take the lead. Oerter was in second with 57.65 (189-1¾) and improved in round two to 58.34 (191-5), but American Dave Weill recorded 59.49 (195-2¼) to move into second. In round four, Daněk increased his lead with 60.52 (198-6¾). Oerter was struggling with the pain of his injuries. He told friends that he had to win on his first throw or not at all. He decided to put everything into his fifth throw, feeling he had only one left in him. He sailed the disc out to 61.00 (200-1¾), an Olympic record and the first Olympic throw over 200 feet, and had his third consecutive gold medal. This had only been done in an individual athletics event at the Olympics by John Flanagan in the hammer throw back in 1904-1912.