Athletics at the 1908 Summer Olympics – Men's discus throw
Men's discus throw at the Games of the IV Olympiad | ||||||||||
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![]() The winner Martin Sheridan | ||||||||||
Venue | White City Stadium | |||||||||
Date | July 16 | |||||||||
Competitors | 42 from 11 nations | |||||||||
Winning distance | 40.89 OR | |||||||||
Medalists | ||||||||||
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Athletics at the 1908 Summer Olympics | |
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![]() | |
Track events | |
100 m | men |
200 m | men |
400 m | men |
800 m | men |
1500 m | men |
5 miles | men |
110 m hurdles | men |
400 m hurdles | men |
3200 m steeplechase | men |
Medley relay | men |
3 mile team race | men |
Road events | |
Marathon | men |
3500 m walk | men |
10 mile walk | men |
Field events | |
Long jump | men |
Triple jump | men |
High jump | men |
Pole vault | men |
Standing long jump | men |
Standing high jump | men |
Shot put | men |
Discus throw | men |
Hammer throw | men |
Javelin throw | men |
Greek discus | men |
Freestyle javelin | men |
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 July 16, 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
[edit]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
[edit]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
[edit]These were the standing world and Olympic records (in metres) prior to the 1908 Summer Olympics.
World record | ![]() |
43.86* | Worms, German Empire | 1907 |
Olympic record | ![]() ![]() |
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
[edit]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]
Rank | Athlete | Nation | Qualifying | Final | Distance | Notes |
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Martin Sheridan | ![]() |
40.58 | 40.89 OR | 40.89 | OR |
![]() |
Merritt Giffin | ![]() |
40.70 OR | Unknown | 40.70 | |
![]() |
Bill Horr | ![]() |
39.44 | 39.45 | 39.45 | |
4 | Verner Järvinen | ![]() |
39.43 | Did not advance | 39.43 | |
5 | Arthur Dearborn | ![]() |
38.52 | Did not advance | 38.52 | |
6 | Lee Talbott | ![]() |
38.40 | Did not advance | 38.40 | |
7 | György Luntzer | ![]() |
38.34 | Did not advance | 38.34 | |
8 | André Tison | ![]() |
38.30 | Did not advance | 38.30 | |
9 | John Flanagan | ![]() |
37.80 | Did not advance | 37.80 | |
10 | Wilbur Burroughs | ![]() |
37.43 | Did not advance | 37.43 | |
11 | Emil Welz | ![]() |
37.02 | Did not advance | 37.02 | |
12–42 | Mór Kóczán | ![]() |
32.76 | Did not advance | 32.76 | |
Ferenc Jesina | ![]() |
30.82 | Did not advance | 30.82 | ||
Platt Adams | ![]() |
Unknown | Did not advance | Unknown | ||
Umberto Avattaneo | ![]() |
Unknown | Did not advance | Unknown | ||
Edward Barrett | ![]() |
Unknown | Did not advance | Unknown | ||
Michael Collins | ![]() |
Unknown | Did not advance | Unknown | ||
Michalis Dorizas | ![]() |
Unknown | Did not advance | Unknown | ||
John Falchenberg | ![]() |
Unknown | Did not advance | Unknown | ||
Alfred Flaxman | ![]() |
Unknown | Did not advance | Unknown | ||
Folke Fleetwood | ![]() |
Unknown | Did not advance | Unknown | ||
John Garrels | ![]() |
Unknown | Did not advance | Unknown | ||
Nikolaos Georgantas | ![]() |
Unknown | Did not advance | Unknown | ||
Simon Gillis | ![]() |
Unknown | Did not advance | Unknown | ||
Walter Henderson | ![]() |
Unknown | Did not advance | Unknown | ||
Imre Mudin | ![]() |
Unknown | Did not advance | Unknown | ||
Charles Lagarde | ![]() |
Unknown | Did not advance | Unknown | ||
Henry Leeke | ![]() |
Unknown | Did not advance | Unknown | ||
Eric Lemming | ![]() |
Unknown | Did not advance | Unknown | ||
Ernest May | ![]() |
Unknown | Did not advance | Unknown | ||
John Murray | ![]() |
Unknown | Did not advance | Unknown | ||
Theodor Neijström | ![]() |
Unknown | Did not advance | Unknown | ||
Elmer Niklander | ![]() |
Unknown | Did not advance | Unknown | ||
Otto Nilsson | ![]() |
Unknown | Did not advance | Unknown | ||
Lauri Pihkala | ![]() |
Unknown | Did not advance | Unknown | ||
Aarne Salovaara | ![]() |
Unknown | Did not advance | Unknown | ||
Jalmari Sauli | ![]() |
Unknown | Did not advance | Unknown | ||
František Souček | ![]() |
Unknown | Did not advance | Unknown | ||
Miroslav Šustera | ![]() |
Unknown | Did not advance | Unknown | ||
Ludwig Uettwiller | ![]() |
Unknown | Did not advance | Unknown | ||
Hugo Wieslander | ![]() |
Unknown | Did not advance | Unknown | ||
Lauri Wilskman | ![]() |
Unknown | Did not advance | Unknown |
References
[edit]- ^ "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.
- ^ Official report, p. 32.
- ^ a b c "Discus Throw, Men". Olympedia. Retrieved 22 October 2020.
- ^ a b Official Report, p. 95.
- ^ Official Report, p. 409.
Sources
[edit]- Official Report of the Games of the IV Olympiad (1908).
- De Wael, Herman. Herman's Full Olympians: "Athletics 1908". Accessed 7 April 2006. Available electronically at [1] Archived 2006-09-27 at the Wayback Machine.