Athletics at the 1908 Summer Olympics – Men's discus throw

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Men's discus throw
at the Games of the IV Olympiad
Martin Sheridan, vainqueur du lancement du disque aux JO de 1908.jpg
The winner Martin Sheridan
Venue White City Stadium
Date16 July 1908
Competitors42 from 11 nations
Winning distance40.89 OR
Medalists
Gold medal icon.svg Martin Sheridan
US flag 45 stars.svg  United States
Silver medal icon.svg Merritt Giffin
US flag 45 stars.svg  United States
Bronze medal icon.svg Bill Horr
US flag 45 stars.svg  United States
  1904
1912  
Official Video TV-icon-2.svg
Official Video

The men's discus throw was one of six throwing events on the Athletics at the 1908 Summer Olympics programme in London. The competition was held on 16 July 1908. 42 throwers from eleven nations competed. [1] NOCs could enter up to 12 athletes. [2] The event was won by Martin Sheridan of the United States, his second consecutive victory in the event (third if the 1906 Intercalated Games are included). The Americans completed their first sweep in the discus throw, with Merritt Giffin taking silver and Bill Horr bronze.

Background

This was the fourth appearance of the event, which is one of 12 athletics events to have been held at every Summer Olympics. The returning competitors from 1904 were defending champion Martin Sheridan of the United States, bronze medalist Nikolaos Georgantas of Greece, and fourth-place finisher (and 1900 competitor) John Flanagan of the United States. Sheridan, who had also won the 1906 Intercalated Games discus throw, was heavily favored, "unequaled as a discus thrower." [3]

Finland, Germany, Italy, and Norway each made their debut in the men's discus throw. Greece and the United States each made their fourth appearance, having competed in every edition of the Olympic men's discus throw to date.

Competition format

The competition continued to use the single, divided-final format in use since 1896. Each athlete received three throws, with the top three receiving an additional three throws. This event was one of two discus throwing events in 1908 and was referred to as the "free style" throw; the other was throwing the discus "as at Athens." For this event, the athletes threw the discus from inside a 2.5 metre diameter circle. There were no rules on form ("The method of throwing is at the absolute discretion of each competitor"), though the thrower had to remain in the circle until the discus hit the ground. The landing area was a 45 degree sector, broader than the modern 34.92 degrees. [4] [5] [3]

Records

These were the standing world and Olympic records (in metres) prior to the 1908 Summer Olympics.

World recordFlag of Germany.svg  Wilhelm Dörr  (GER)43.86* Worms, German Empire 1907
Olympic recordUS flag 45 stars.svg  Ralph Rose  (USA)
US flag 45 stars.svg  Martin Sheridan  (USA)
39.28 St. Louis, United States 3 September 1904

* unofficial

The top four men all threw beyond the old Olympic record in the qualifying throws. Martin Sheridan finished with the best throw and the new record, at 40.89 metres.

Results

Giffin's first throw (40.70 metres) was his best and gave him the lead until the final round. Sheridan threw 40.89 metres on his final attempt to win. [4] 23 athletes did not start. [3]

RankAthleteNationQualifyingFinalDistanceNotes
Gold medal icon.svg Martin Sheridan US flag 45 stars.svg  United States 40.5840.89 OR 40.89 OR
Silver medal icon.svg Merritt Giffin US flag 45 stars.svg  United States 40.70 OR Unknown40.70
Bronze medal icon.svg Bill Horr US flag 45 stars.svg  United States 39.4439.4539.45
4 Verner Järvinen Flag of Russia.svg  Finland 39.43Did not advance39.43
5 Arthur Dearborn US flag 45 stars.svg  United States 38.52Did not advance38.52
6 Lee Talbott US flag 45 stars.svg  United States 38.40Did not advance38.40
7 György Luntzer Flag of Hungary (1867-1918).svg  Hungary 38.34Did not advance38.34
8 André Tison Flag of France.svg  France 38.30Did not advance38.30
9 John Flanagan US flag 45 stars.svg  United States 37.80Did not advance37.80
10 Wilbur Burroughs US flag 45 stars.svg  United States 37.43Did not advance37.43
11 Emil Welz Flag of the German Empire.svg  Germany 37.02Did not advance37.02
12–42 Mór Kóczán Flag of Hungary (1867-1918).svg  Hungary 32.76Did not advance32.76
Ferenc Jesina Flag of Hungary (1867-1918).svg  Hungary 30.82Did not advance30.82
Platt Adams US flag 45 stars.svg  United States UnknownDid not advanceUnknown
Umberto Avattaneo Flag of Italy (1861-1946).svg  Italy UnknownDid not advanceUnknown
Edward Barrett Flag of the United Kingdom (3-2).svg  Great Britain UnknownDid not advanceUnknown
Michael Collins Flag of the United Kingdom (3-2).svg  Great Britain UnknownDid not advanceUnknown
Michalis Dorizas Flag of Greece (1828-1978).svg  Greece UnknownDid not advanceUnknown
John Falchenberg Flag of Norway.svg  Norway UnknownDid not advanceUnknown
Alfred Flaxman Flag of the United Kingdom (3-2).svg  Great Britain UnknownDid not advanceUnknown
Folke Fleetwood Flag of Sweden.svg  Sweden UnknownDid not advanceUnknown
John Garrels US flag 45 stars.svg  United States UnknownDid not advanceUnknown
Nikolaos Georgantas Flag of Greece (1828-1978).svg  Greece UnknownDid not advanceUnknown
Simon Gillis US flag 45 stars.svg  United States UnknownDid not advanceUnknown
Walter Henderson Flag of the United Kingdom (3-2).svg  Great Britain UnknownDid not advanceUnknown
Imre Mudin Flag of Hungary (1867-1918).svg  Hungary UnknownDid not advanceUnknown
Charles Lagarde Flag of France.svg  France UnknownDid not advanceUnknown
Henry Leeke Flag of the United Kingdom (3-2).svg  Great Britain UnknownDid not advanceUnknown
Eric Lemming Flag of Sweden.svg  Sweden UnknownDid not advanceUnknown
Ernest May Flag of the United Kingdom (3-2).svg  Great Britain UnknownDid not advanceUnknown
John Murray Flag of the United Kingdom (3-2).svg  Great Britain UnknownDid not advanceUnknown
Theodor Neijström Flag of Sweden.svg  Sweden UnknownDid not advanceUnknown
Elmer Niklander Flag of Russia.svg  Finland UnknownDid not advanceUnknown
Otto Nilsson Flag of Sweden.svg  Sweden UnknownDid not advanceUnknown
Lauri Pihkala Flag of Russia.svg  Finland UnknownDid not advanceUnknown
Aarne Salovaara Flag of Russia.svg  Finland UnknownDid not advanceUnknown
Jalmari Sauli Flag of Russia.svg  Finland UnknownDid not advanceUnknown
František SoučekFlag of Bohemia.svg  Bohemia UnknownDid not advanceUnknown
Miroslav Šustera Flag of Bohemia.svg  Bohemia UnknownDid not advanceUnknown
Ludwig Uettwiller Flag of the German Empire.svg  Germany UnknownDid not advanceUnknown
Hugo Wieslander Flag of Sweden.svg  Sweden UnknownDid not advanceUnknown
Lauri Wilskman Flag of Russia.svg  Finland UnknownDid not advanceUnknown

References

  1. "Athletics at the 1908 London Summer Games: Men's Discus Throw". sports-reference.com. Archived from the original on 17 April 2020. Retrieved 9 January 2018.
  2. Official report, p. 32.
  3. 1 2 3 "Discus Throw, Men". Olympedia. Retrieved 22 October 2020.
  4. 1 2 Official Report, p. 95.
  5. Official Report, p. 409.

Sources