Athletics at the 2012 Summer Olympics – Men's discus throw

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Men's discus throw
at the Games of the XXX Olympiad
ISTAF Berlin 2012 - Robert Harting, Sieger Diskuswerfen.jpg
Robert Harting (later in 2012)
Venue Olympic Stadium
Dates6–7 August
Competitors41 from 24 nations
Winning distance68.27
Medalists
Gold medal icon.svg Robert Harting
Flag of Germany.svg  Germany
Silver medal icon.svg Ehsan Haddadi
Flag of Iran.svg  Iran
Bronze medal icon.svg Gerd Kanter
Flag of Estonia.svg  Estonia
  2008
2016  
Official Video Highlights TV-icon-2.svg
Official Video Highlights

The men's discus throw was a competition at the 2012 Summer Olympics in London, United Kingdom. The event was held at the Olympic Stadium on 6–7 August. [1] Forty-one athletes from 24 nations competed. [2] The event was won by Robert Harting of Germany, the nation's first victory in the men's discus throw since 1996 and second overall (not counting those won by East and West Germany). Ehsan Haddadi earned Iran's first medal in the event with his silver. Gerd Kanter of Estonia became the 15th man to win multiple medals in the event, adding a bronze to his 2008 gold. Virgilijus Alekna of Lithuania narrowly missed being the second man to win four medals in the event, finishing fourth.

The medals for the competition were presented by Irena Szewińska, Poland; IOC Member, and the medalists' bouquets were presented by Helmut Digel, Germany; IAAF Council Member.

Background

This was the 27th appearance of the event, which is one of 12 athletics events to have been held at every Summer Olympics. The returning finalists from the 2008 Games were gold medalist Gerd Kanter of Estonia, silver medalist Piotr Małachowski of Poland, bronze medalist (and 2000 and 2004 gold medalist and 1996 finalist) Virgilijus Alekna of Lithuania, fourth-place finisher Robert Harting of Germany, fifth-place finisher Frank Casañas of Spain, sixth-place finisher Bogdan Pishchalnikov of Russia, seventh-place finisher Rutger Smith of the Netherlands, ninth-place finisher Mario Pestano of Spain, and twelfth-place finisher (and 2004 bronze medalist and 2000 finalist) Aleksander Tammert of Estonia. Harting, who had won the last two world championships, was the favorite. Kanter, Alekna, and Ehsan Haddadi of Iran were also contenders. [2]

Cyprus, Jamaica, and Montenegro each made their debut in the men's discus throw. The United States made its 26th appearance, most of any nation, having missed only the boycotted 1980 Games.

Qualification

A National Olympic Committee (NOC) could enter up to 3 qualified athletes in the men's discus throw event if all athletes met the A standard, or 1 athlete if they met the B standard. The maximum number of athletes per nation had been set at 3 since the 1930 Olympic Congress. The qualifying distance standards could be obtained in various meets during the qualifying period that had the approval of the IAAF. Both outdoor and indoor meets were eligible. The A standard for the 2012 men's discus throw was 65.00 metres; the B standard was 63.00 metres. The qualifying period for was from 1 May 2011 to 8 July 2012. NOCs could also have an athlete enter the discus throw through a universality place. NOCs could enter one male athlete in an athletics event, regardless of time, if they had no male athletes meeting the qualifying A or B standards in any men's athletic event. [3] [4] [5]

Competition format

Each athlete received three throws in the qualifying round. All who achieved the qualifying distance of 65.00 metres progressed to the final. If fewer than twelve athletes achieved this mark, then the twelve furthest throwing athletes reached the final. Each finalist was allowed three throws in last round, with the top eight athletes after that point being given three further attempts. [6]

Records

Prior to the competition, the existing world and Olympic records were as follows.

World recordFlag of East Germany.svg  Jürgen Schult  (GDR)74.08 Neubrandenburg, East Germany 6 June 1986
Olympic recordFlag of Lithuania.svg  Virgilijus Alekna  (LTU)69.89 Athens, Greece 23 August 2004

No new world or Olympic records were set during the competition.

Schedule

All times are British Summer Time (UTC+1)

DateTimeRound
Monday, 6 August 201210:00Qualifying
Tuesday, 7 August 201219:45Final

Summary

Six made the automatic qualifier to the finals, Ehsan Haddadi, Jorge Fernandez and Robert Harting on their first attempt. The top qualifier was defending champion Gerd Kanter, but it took him three throws to get a distance that would qualify. The #10 qualifier was two-time champion Virgilijus Alekna.

In the final, most improved their distances by several meters. Alekna launched a 67.38 on the third throw of the competition. Four throws later, Haddadi took the lead with a 68.18, with Harting moving into second place with 67.79. That was the situation through the first four rounds. Kanter made minor improvements, but was out of the medals until his fifth throw of 68.03, knocking Alekna out of his fourth straight medal. Two throws later, Harting launched the winner, going just 9 cm beyond Haddadi with a 68.27. [7] The 2.01m, 130 kg. Harting celebrated his medal on his victory lap skillfully jumping over the row of women's hurdles already on the track and doing a Hulk Hogan shirt rip. [8]

Results

Qualifying

Qual. rule: qualification standard 65.00m (Q) or at least best 12 qualified (q).

RankGroupAthleteNation123DistanceNotes
1B Gerd Kanter Flag of Estonia.svg  Estonia X59.7266.3966.39Q
2B Robert Harting Flag of Germany.svg  Germany 66.2266.22Q
3B Jorge Fernandez Flag of Cuba (3-2).svg  Cuba 65.3465.34Q
4B Lawrence Okoye Flag of the United Kingdom (3-2).svg  Great Britain X63.0065.2865.28Q
5A Vikas Gowda Flag of India.svg  India 63.5265.2065.20Q
6A Ehsan Haddadi Flag of Iran.svg  Iran 65.1965.19Q
7A Piotr Małachowski Flag of Poland.svg  Poland 62.0864.6563.9664.65q
8B Martin Wierig Flag of Germany.svg  Germany 64.1362.66X64.13q
9B Benn Harradine Flag of Australia.svg  Australia 64.00X61.3964.00q
10A Virgilijus Alekna Flag of Lithuania.svg  Lithuania 62.3263.88X63.88q
11A Frank Casañas Flag of Spain.svg  Spain X63.7660.2163.76q
12A Erik Cadée Flag of the Netherlands.svg  Netherlands 63.55XX63.55q
13A Apostolos Parellis Flag of Cyprus.svg  Cyprus 63.4862.4962.5463.48
14B Mario Pestano Flag of Spain.svg  Spain 63.4063.36X63.40
15B Bogdan Pishchalnikov Flag of Russia.svg  Russia 61.69X63.1563.15
16B Rutger Smith Flag of the Netherlands.svg  Netherlands 63.0062.7063.0963.09
17B Martin Marić Civil ensign of Croatia.svg  Croatia 61.0462.8362.8762.87
18A Jason Young Flag of the United States.svg  United States 62.18XX62.18
19A Scott Martin Flag of Australia.svg  Australia 58.1557.6762.1462.14
20B Traves Smikle Flag of Jamaica.svg  Jamaica X59.5961.8561.85
21B Lance Brooks Flag of the United States.svg  United States 61.1760.5959.2561.17
22B Przemyslaw Czajkowski Flag of Poland.svg  Poland 58.73X61.0861.08
23A Ercüment Olgundeniz Flag of Turkey.svg  Turkey XX60.8760.87
24B Gerhard Mayer Flag of Austria.svg  Austria 59.4060.8160.2760.81
25A Märt Israel Flag of Estonia.svg  Estonia 59.60X60.3460.34
26B Omar Ahmed El Ghazaly Flag of Egypt.svg  Egypt 60.1660.2658.8960.26
27A Aleksander Tammert Flag of Estonia.svg  Estonia 57.0060.2059.7860.20
28A Julian Wruck Flag of Australia.svg  Australia 58.0160.0859.6460.08
29B Abdul Buhari Flag of the United Kingdom (3-2).svg  Great Britain 54.2055.7860.0860.08
30A Markus Münch Flag of Germany.svg  Germany 59.9559.34X59.95
31B Jarred Rome Flag of the United States.svg  United States XX59.5759.57
32A Robert Urbanek Flag of Poland.svg  Poland 59.56XX59.56
33B Sultan Mubarak Al-Dawoodi Flag of Saudi Arabia.svg  Saudi Arabia 55.4855.8059.5459.54
34B Mykyta Nesterenko Flag of Ukraine.svg  Ukraine X58.2259.1759.17
35A Brett Morse Flag of the United Kingdom (3-2).svg  Great Britain X58.18X58.18
36A Roland Varga Civil ensign of Croatia.svg  Croatia 57.7658.1757.7958.17
37A Germán Lauro Flag of Argentina.svg  Argentina X55.2357.5457.54
38B Danijel Furtula Flag of Montenegro.svg  Montenegro 57.48XX57.48
39A Jason Morgan Flag of Jamaica.svg  Jamaica 56.2556.7257.4657.46
40A Yunio Lastre Flag of Cuba (3-2).svg  Cuba XX57.3357.33
41B Ronald Julião Flag of Brazil.svg  Brazil X56.20X56.20

Final

RankAthleteNation123456DistanceNotes
Gold medal icon.svg Robert Harting Flag of Germany.svg  Germany 67.79X67.2766.4568.2767.0868.27
Silver medal icon.svg Ehsan Haddadi Flag of Iran.svg  Iran 68.1864.0967.2866.98XX68.18
Bronze medal icon.svg Gerd Kanter Flag of Estonia.svg  Estonia 65.0765.7966.0265.9668.0366.9968.03SB
4 Virgilijus Alekna Flag of Lithuania.svg  Lithuania 67.38XX66.07XX67.38
5 Piotr Małachowski Flag of Poland.svg  Poland 62.5066.92X67.19XX67.19
6 Martin Wierig Flag of Germany.svg  Germany 63.3463.98X65.8564.7965.1265.85
7 Frank Casañas Flag of Spain.svg  Spain 65.56XX64.9265.4863.1665.56
8 Vikas Gowda Flag of India.svg  India 64.7960.9563.0364.1564.4863.8964.79
9 Benn Harradine Flag of Australia.svg  Australia 58.2463.1663.59Did not advance63.59
10 Erik Cadée Flag of the Netherlands.svg  Netherlands 62.4062.7762.78Did not advance62.78
11 Jorge Fernandez Flag of Cuba (3-2).svg  Cuba X60.0462.02Did not advance62.02
12 Lawrence Okoye Flag of the United Kingdom (3-2).svg  Great Britain 61.03X60.11Did not advance61.03

References

  1. "Athletics at the 2012 Summer Olympics". Archived from the original on 2012-09-05. Retrieved 2012-05-11.
  2. 1 2 "Discus Throw, Men". Olympedia. Retrieved 4 November 2020.
  3. "QUALIFICATION SYSTEM – GAMES OF THE XXX OLYMPIAD" (PDF). IAAF. Retrieved 14 November 2011.
  4. "Olympic Qualifying Procedures for Athletics". Telegraph. 15 April 2011. Archived from the original on 19 April 2011. Retrieved 5 June 2011.
  5. "Amended Qualifying Standards". IAAF. Retrieved 7 December 2011.
  6. "Men's Discus throw competition format". London 2012 Organising Committee. Archived from the original on 5 June 2012. Retrieved 13 June 2012.
  7. "World Athletics".
  8. "Kavanaugh Allegations Prompt Fox New's Chris Wallace's Daughters to Reveal Their Own Stories". 27 September 2018.