Discus throw at the World Athletics Championships

Discus throw at the World Athletics Championships
Three-time men's discus throw champion Robert Harting
Overview
Gender	Men and women
Years held	Men: 1983 – 2025 Women: 1983 – 2025
Championship record
Men	71.46 m Daniel Ståhl (2023)
Women	71.62 m Martina Hellmann (1987)
Reigning champion
Men	Daniel Ståhl  (SWE)
Women	Valarie Allman  (USA)

The discus throw at the World Championships in Athletics has been contested by both men and women since the inaugural edition in 1983. The competition format typically has one qualifying round contested by two groups of athletes, with all those clearing the qualifying height or placing in top twelve overall advancing to the final round.

Germany is the most successful nation in the event, with a total of 22 medals, 11 of them gold. Additionally, East Germany won 4 medals (including 3 golds) between 1983 and 1987. Cuba is the second-most successful nation, with 9 medals total, 2 of them gold. 7 of these medals were won by women. They could be seen as a counterpart to Lithuania, as all of their 8 medals in the event were won by men.

Lars Riedel is the most successful athlete in the event, winning 5 gold medals and one bronze medal between 1991 and 2001. His 5 gold medals are the second-most for any athlete in a single individual event, a feat only bettered by Sergey Bubka in the pole vault. Franka Dietzsch is the most successful woman in the event, with three gold medals. Robert Harting is the only other athlete that has won more than two gold medals in the event. Sandra Perković is the most decorated female athlete, with 5 medals in total.

The championship records for the event are 71.46 m for men, set by Daniel Ståhl in 2023, and 71.62 m for women, set by Martina Hellmann in 1987.

The reigning world champions are Daniel Ståhl from Sweden and Laulauga Tausaga from the United States.

Age records

• All information from World Athletics. ^[1]

Distinction	Male			Female
	Athlete	Age	Date	Athlete	Age	Date
Youngest champion	Kristjan Čeh  (SLO)	23 years, 152 days	19 Jul 2022	Dani Samuels  (AUS)	21 years, 87 days	21 Aug 2009
Youngest medalist	Mykolas Alekna  (LIT)	19 years, 304 days	19 Jul 2022	Dani Samuels  (AUS)	21 years, 87 days	21 Aug 2009
Youngest finalist	Mykolas Alekna  (LIT)	19 years, 304 days	19 Jul 2022	Ilke Wyludda  (GDR)	18 years, 156 days	31 Aug 1987
Youngest participant	Robert McNabb  (COK)	18 years, 232 days	8 Aug 1997	Siniva Marsters  (COK)	16 years, 304 days	7 Aug 1997
Oldest champion	Lars Riedel  (GER)	34 years, 41 days	8 Aug 2001	Ellina Zvereva  (BLR)	40 years, 268 days	11 Aug 2001
Oldest medalist	John Powell  (USA)	40 years, 71 days	4 Sep 1987	Ellina Zvereva  (BLR)	40 years, 268 days	11 Aug 2001
Oldest finalist	John Powell  (USA)	40 years, 71 days	4 Sep 1987	Mélina Robert-Michon  (FRA)	44 years, 35 days	22 Aug 2023
Oldest participant	Virgilijus Alekna  (LIT)	41 years, 180 days	12 Aug 2013	Ellina Zvereva  (BLR)	48 years, 276 days	19 Aug 2009

Medalists

Men

Championships	Gold	Silver	Bronze
1983 Helsinki details	Imrich Bugár  (TCH)	Luis Delís  (CUB)	Géjza Valent  (TCH)
1987 Rome details	Jürgen Schult  (GDR)	John Powell  (USA)	Luis Delís  (CUB)
1991 Tokyo details	Lars Riedel  (GER)	Erik de Bruin  (NED)	Attila Horváth  (HUN)
1993 Stuttgart details	Lars Riedel  (GER)	Dmitry Shevchenko  (RUS)	Jürgen Schult  (GER)
1995 Gothenburg details	Lars Riedel  (GER)	Vladimir Dubrovshchik  (BLR)	Vasiliy Kaptyukh  (BLR)
1997 Athens details	Lars Riedel  (GER)	Virgilijus Alekna  (LTU)	Jürgen Schult  (GER)
1999 Seville details	Anthony Washington  (USA)	Jürgen Schult  (GER)	Lars Riedel  (GER)
2001 Edmonton details	Lars Riedel  (GER)	Virgilijus Alekna  (LTU)	Michael Möllenbeck  (GER)
2003 Saint-Denis details	Virgilijus Alekna  (LTU)	Róbert Fazekas  (HUN)	Vasiliy Kaptyukh  (BLR)
2005 Helsinki details	Virgilijus Alekna  (LTU)	Gerd Kanter  (EST)	Michael Möllenbeck  (GER)
2007 Osaka details	Gerd Kanter  (EST)	Robert Harting  (GER)	Rutger Smith  (NED)
2009 Berlin details	Robert Harting  (GER)	Piotr Małachowski  (POL)	Gerd Kanter  (EST)
2011 Daegu details	Robert Harting  (GER)	Gerd Kanter  (EST)	Ehsan Haddadi  (IRI)
2013 Moscow details	Robert Harting  (GER)	Piotr Małachowski  (POL)	Gerd Kanter  (EST)
2015 Beijing details	Piotr Małachowski  (POL)	Philip Milanov  (BEL)	Robert Urbanek  (POL)
2017 London details	Andrius Gudžius  (LTU)	Daniel Ståhl  (SWE)	Mason Finley  (USA)
2019 Doha details	Daniel Ståhl  (SWE)	Fedrick Dacres  (JAM)	Lukas Weißhaidinger  (AUT)
2022 Eugene details	Kristjan Čeh  (SLO)	Mykolas Alekna  (LTU)	Andrius Gudžius  (LTU)
2023 Budapest details	Daniel Ståhl  (SWE)	Kristjan Čeh  (SLO)	Mykolas Alekna  (LTU)
2025 Tokyo details	Daniel Ståhl  (SWE)	Mykolas Alekna  (LTU)	Alex Rose  (SAM)

Multiple medalists

Rank	Athlete	Nation	Period	Gold	Silver	Bronze	Total
1	Lars Riedel	Germany  (GER)	1991–2001	5	0	1	6
2	Robert Harting	Germany  (GER)	2007–2013	3	1	0	4
	Daniel Ståhl	Sweden  (SWE)	2017–2025	3	1	0	4
4	Virgilijus Alekna	Lithuania  (LTU)	1997–2005	2	2	0	4
5	Gerd Kanter	Estonia  (EST)	2005–2013	1	2	2	5
6	Piotr Małachowski	Poland  (POL)	2009–2015	1	2	0	3
7	Jürgen Schult	Germany  (GER)	1987–1997	1	1	2	4
8	Kristjan Čeh	Slovenia  (SLO)	2022-2023	1	1	0	2
9	Andrius Gudžius	Lithuania  (LTU)	2017-2022	1	0	1	2
10	Mykolas Alekna	Lithuania  (LTU)	2022-2025	0	2	1	3
11	Luis Delís	Cuba  (CUB)	1983–1987	0	1	1	2
12	Vasiliy Kaptyukh	Belarus  (BLR)	1995–2003	0	0	2	2
	Michael Möllenbeck	Germany  (GER)	2001–2005	0	0	2	2

Medals by country

Rank	Nation	Gold	Silver	Bronze	Total
1	Germany  (GER)	8	2	5	15
2	Lithuania  (LTU)	3	4	2	9
3	Sweden  (SWE)	3	1	0	4
4	Estonia  (EST)	1	2	2	5
5	Poland  (POL)	1	2	1	4
6	United States  (USA)	1	1	1	3
7	Slovenia  (SLO)	1	1	0	2
8	Czechoslovakia  (TCH)	1	0	1	2
9	East Germany  (GDR)	1	0	0	1
10	Belarus  (BLR)	0	1	2	3
11	Cuba  (CUB)	0	1	1	2
	Hungary  (HUN)	0	1	1	2
	Netherlands  (NED)	0	1	1	2
12	Belgium  (BEL)	0	1	0	1
	Iran  (IRI)	0	1	0	1
	Jamaica  (JAM)	0	1	0	1
	Russia  (RUS)	0	1	0	1
13	Austria  (AUT)	0	0	1	1
	Samoa  (SAM)	0	0	1	1

Women

Championships	Gold	Silver	Bronze
1983 Helsinki details	Martina Opitz  (GDR)	Galina Murašova  (URS)	Mariya Petkova  (BUL)
1987 Rome details	Martina Hellmann  (GDR)	Diana Gansky  (GDR)	Tsvetanka Khristova  (BUL)
1991 Tokyo details	Tsvetanka Khristova  (BUL)	Ilke Wyludda  (GER)	Larisa Mikhalchenko  (URS)
1993 Stuttgart details	Olga Chernyavskaya  (RUS)	Daniela Costian  (AUS)	Min Chunfeng  (CHN)
1995 Gothenburg details	Ellina Zvereva  (BLR)	Ilke Wyludda  (GER)	Olga Chernyavskaya  (RUS)
1997 Athens details	Beatrice Faumuina  (NZL)	Ellina Zvereva  (BLR)	Natalya Sadova  (RUS)
1999 Seville details	Franka Dietzsch  (GER)	Anastasia Kelesidou  (GRE)	Nicoleta Grasu  (ROU)
2001 Edmonton details	Ellina Zvereva  (BLR)	Nicoleta Grasu  (ROU)	Anastasia Kelesidou  (GRE)
2003 Saint-Denis details	Iryna Yatchenko  (BLR)	Anastasia Kelesidou  (GRE)	Ekaterini Voggoli  (GRE)
2005 Helsinki details	Franka Dietzsch  (GER)	Natalya Sadova  (RUS)	Věra Pospíšilová-Cechlová  (CZE)
2007 Osaka details	Franka Dietzsch  (GER)	Yarelis Barrios  (CUB)	Nicoleta Grasu  (ROU)
2009 Berlin details	Dani Samuels  (AUS)	Yarelis Barrios  (CUB)	Nicoleta Grasu  (ROU)
2011 Daegu details	Li Yanfeng  (CHN)	Nadine Müller  (GER)	Yarelis Barrios  (CUB)
2013 Moscow details	Sandra Perković  (CRO)	Mélina Robert-Michon  (FRA)	Yarelis Barrios  (CUB)
2015 Beijing details	Denia Caballero  (CUB)	Sandra Perković  (CRO)	Nadine Müller  (GER)
2017 London details	Sandra Perković  (CRO)	Dani Stevens  (AUS)	Mélina Robert-Michon  (FRA)
2019 Doha details	Yaime Pérez  (CUB)	Denia Caballero  (CUB)	Sandra Perković  (CRO)
2022 Eugene details	Feng Bin  (CHN)	Sandra Perković  (CRO)	Valarie Allman  (USA)
2023 Budapest details	Laulauga Tausaga  (USA)	Valarie Allman  (USA)	Feng Bin  (CHN)
2025 Tokyo details	Valarie Allman  (USA)	Jorinde van Klinken  (NED)	Silinda Morales  (CUB)

Multiple medalists

Rank	Athlete	Nation	Period	Gold	Silver	Bronze	Total
1	Franka Dietzsch	Germany  (GER)	1999–2007	3	0	0	3
2	Sandra Perković	Croatia  (CRO)	2013–2022	2	2	1	5
3	Ellina Zvereva	Belarus  (BLR)	1995–2001	2	1	0	3
4	Martina Hellmann	East Germany  (GDR)	1983–1987	2	0	0	2
5	Valarie Allman	United States  (USA)	2022-2025	1	1	1	3
6	Dani Stevens	Australia  (AUS)	2009-2017	1	1	0	2
	Denia Caballero	Cuba  (CUB)	2015-2019	1	1	0	2
8	Tsvetanka Khristova	Bulgaria  (BUL)	1987–1991	1	0	1	2
	Olga Chernyavskaya	Russia  (RUS)	1993–1995	1	0	1	2
	Feng Bin	China  (CHN)	2022-2023	1	0	1	2
11	Yarelis Barrios	Cuba  (CUB)	2007–2013	0	2	2	4
12	Anastasia Kelesidou	Greece  (GRE)	1999–2003	0	2	1	3
13	Ilke Wyludda	Germany  (GER)	1991–1995	0	2	0	2
14	Nicoleta Grasu	Romania  (ROU)	1999–2009	0	1	3	4
15	Natalya Sadova	Russia  (RUS)	1997–2005	0	1	1	2
	Nadine Müller	Germany  (GER)	2011–2015	0	1	1	2
	Mélina Robert-Michon	France  (FRA)	2013-2017	0	1	1	2

Medals by country

Rank	Nation	Gold	Silver	Bronze	Total
1	Germany  (GER)	3	3	1	7
2	Belarus  (BLR)	3	1	0	4
3	Cuba  (CUB)	2	3	3	8
4	Croatia  (CRO)	2	2	1	5
5	United States  (USA)	2	1	1	4
6	East Germany  (GDR)	2	1	0	3
7	China  (CHN)	2	0	2	4
8	Australia  (AUS)	1	2	0	3
9	Russia  (RUS)	1	1	2	4
10	Bulgaria  (BUL)	1	0	2	3
11	New Zealand  (NZL)	1	0	0	1
12	Greece  (GRE)	0	2	2	4
13	Romania  (ROU)	0	1	3	4
14	France  (FRA)	0	1	1	2
15	Soviet Union  (URS)	0	1	1	2
16	Netherlands  (NED)	0	1	0	1
17	Czech Republic  (CZE)	0	0	1	1

Championship record progression

Men

Men's discus throw World Championships record progression ^[2]

Time	Athlete	Nation	Year	Round	Date
64.20 m	Lius Delís	Cuba  (CUB)	1983	Qualification	1983-08-13
65.00 m	Imrich Bugar	Czechoslovakia  (TCH)	1983	Qualification	1983-08-13
67.48 m	Imrich Bugar	Czechoslovakia  (TCH)	1983	Final	1983-08-14
67.72 m	Imrich Bugar	Czechoslovakia  (TCH)	1983	Final	1983-08-14
68.74 m	Jürgen Schult	East Germany  (GDR)	1987	Final	1987-09-04
68.76 m	Lars Riedel	Germany  (GER)	1995	Final	1995-08-11
69.08 m	Anthony Washington	United States  (USA)	1999	Final	1999-08-24
69.72 m	Lars Riedel	Germany  (GER)	2001	Final	2001-08-08
70.17 m	Virgilijus Alekna	Lithuania  (LTU)	2005	Final	2005-08-07
71.13 m	Kristjan Čeh	Slovenia  (SLO)	2022	Final	2022-07-19
71.46 m	Daniel Ståhl	Sweden  (SWE)	2023	Final	2023-08-21

Women

Women's discus throw World Championships record progression ^[3]

Time	Athlete	Nation	Year	Round	Date
65.84 m	Maria Petkova	Bulgaria  (BUL)	1983	Qualification	1983-08-09
66.42 m	Martina Hellmann	East Germany  (GDR)	1983	Final	1983-08-10
66.44 m	Maria Petkova	Bulgaria  (BUL)	1983	Final	1983-08-10
67.76 m	Martina Hellmann	East Germany  (GDR)	1983	Final	1983-08-10
68.74 m	Martina Hellmann	East Germany  (GDR)	1983	Final	1983-08-10
71.62 m	Martina Hellmann	East Germany  (GDR)	1987	Final	1987-08-31

Best performances

Top ten furthest World Championship throws¹

Furthest men's throws at the World Championships [4] Rank Distance (m) Athlete Nation Year Date 1 71.46 m Daniel Ståhl   Sweden 2023 2023-08-21 2 71.11 m Kristjan Čeh   Slovenia 2022 2022-07-19 3 70.47 m Daniel Ståhl   Sweden 2025 2025-09-21 4 70.17 m Virgilijus Alekna   Lithuania 2005 2005-08-07 5 70.02 m Kristjan Čeh   Slovenia 2023 2023-08-21 6 69.90 m Daniel Ståhl   Sweden 2025 Q 2025-09-20 7 69.72 m Lars Riedel   Germany 2001 2001-08-07 8 69.69 m Virgilijus Alekna   Lithuania 2003 2003-08-26 9 69.41 m Robert Harting   Germany 2009 2009-08-19 10 69.40 m Virgilijus Alekna   Lithuania 2001 2001-08-07

Furthest women's throws at the World Championships [5] Rank Distance (m) Athlete Nation Year Date 1 71.62 m Martina Hellmann   East Germany 1987 1987-08-31 2 71.02 m Tsvetanka Khristova   Bulgaria 1991 1991-08-31 3 70.31 m Sandra Perković   Croatia 2017 2017-08-13 4 70.12 m Diana Gansky   East Germany 1987 1987-08-31 5 69.67 m Sandra Perković   Croatia 2017 Q 2017-08-11 6 69.64 m Dani Stevens   Australia 2017 2017-08-13 7 69.49 m Laulauga Tausaga   United States 2023 2023-08-22 8 69.48 m Valarie Allman   United States 2025 2025-09-14 9 69.28 m Denia Caballero   Cuba 2015 2015-08-25 10 69.23 m Valarie Allman   United States 2023 2023-08-22

¹Does not include ancillary marks.

See also

• Discus throw
• Discus throw at the Olympics

References

1. "World Athletics Championships - Budapest 23 Statistical Booklet" (PDF). www.worldathletics.org : 42–45.
2. Main > Men's discus throw > World Championships Records Progression. Track and Field Brinkster. Retrieved on 2024-10-08.
3. Main > Women's discus throw > World Championships Records Progression. Track and Field Brinkster. Retrieved on 2024-10-08.
4. "Men's discus throw".
5. "Women's discus throw". Archived from the original on 23 April 2024. Retrieved 23 April 2024.

Bibliography

• Butler, Mark (2023). World Athletics Championships Budapest 2023 Statistics Book. World Athletics.

External links

• Official World Athletics website