Modern copy of theDiskophoros, attributed toAlkamenes
The sport of throwing the discus traces back to it being an event in theoriginal Olympic Games of Ancient Greece.[2] The discus as a sport was resurrected inMagdeburg, Germany, by gymnastics teacherChristian Georg Kohlrausch and his students in the 1870s.[3] Organized men's competition was resumed in the late 19th century, and has been a part of the modernSummer Olympic Games since the first modern competition, the1896 Summer Olympics. Images of discus throwers figured prominently in advertising for early modern Games, such as fundraising stamps for the 1896 Games, and the main posters for the1920 and1948 Summer Olympics. Today the sport of discus is a routine part of modern track-and-field meets at all levels, and retains a particularly iconic place in the Olympic Games.
The first modern athlete to throw the discus while rotating the whole body wasFrantišek Janda-Suk fromBohemia (the presentCzech Republic).[4] Janda-Suk invented this technique when studying the position of the statue ofDiscobolus. After a year of developing the technique, he earned a silver medal in the 1900 Olympics.
Women's competition began in the first decades of the 20th century. Following competition at national and regional levels, it was added to the Olympic program for the1928 games.
The event consists of throwing a heavy disc, with the weight or size depending on the competitor. Men and women throw different sized discs, with varying sizes and weights depending on age. The weight of the discus is either governed byWorld Athletics for international orUSA Track & Field for the United States.
Discus (2 kg),World Athletics certified for competitionsSide viewLongitudinal section (schematic)
The typical discus has sides made of plastic, wood, fiberglass, carbon fiber or metal with a metal rim and a metal core to attain the weight. The rim must be smooth, with no roughness or finger holds. A discus with more weight in the rim produces greater angular momentum for any given spin rate, and thus more stability, although it is more difficult to throw. However, a higher rim weight, if thrown correctly, can lead to a longer throw. In some competitions, a solid rubber discus is used (seein the United States).
To make a throw, the competitor starts in a circle of 2.50 m (8 ft2+1⁄4 in) diameter, which is recessed in a concrete pad by 20 millimetres (0.79 in). The thrower typically takes an initial stance facing away from the direction of the throw. They then spin anticlockwise (for right-handers)1+1⁄2 times while staying within the circle to build momentum before releasing the discus. The discus must land within a 34.92ºcircular sector that is centered on the throwing circle.[8] The rules of competition for discus are virtually identical to those ofshot put, except that the circle is larger, a stop board is not used and there are no form rules concerning how the discus is to be thrown.
The basic motion is a fore-handed sidearm movement. The discus is spun off the index finger or the middle finger of the throwing hand. In flight the disc spins clockwise when viewed from above for a right-handed thrower, and anticlockwise for a left-handed thrower. As well as achieving maximum momentum in the discus on throwing, the discus' distance is also determined by the trajectory the thrower imparts, as well as the aerodynamic behavior of the discus. Generally, throws into a moderate headwind achieve the maximum distance. Also, a faster-spinning discus imparts greater gyroscopic stability. The technique of discus throwing is quite difficult to master and needs much experience to perfect; thus most top throwers are 30 years old or more.
The discus throw is sometimes contested indoors, but it is not included at theWorld Athletics Indoor Championships.World Athletics used to keep "world indoor best" discus records, but since 2023 they now combine both indoor and outdoor marks.[9][10]
The discus technique can be broken down into phases. The purpose is to transfer from the back to the front of the throwing circle while turning through one and a half circles. The speed of delivery is high, and speed is built up during the throw (slow to fast). Correct technique involves the buildup of torque so that maximum force can be applied to the discus on delivery.[11]
Initially, the thrower takes up their position in the throwing circle, distributing their body weight evenly over both feet, which are roughly shoulder width apart. They crouch in order to adopt a more efficient posture to start from whilst alsoisometrically preloading their muscles; this will allow them to start faster and achieve a more powerful throw. They then begin the wind-up, which sets the tone for the entire throw; the rhythm of the wind-up and throw is very important.
Focusing on rhythm can bring about the consistency to get in the right positions that many throwers lack. Executing a sound discus throw with solid technique requires perfect balance. This is due to the throw being a linear movement combined with a one and a half rotation and an implement at the end of one arm. Thus, a good discus thrower needs to maintain balance within the circle.[12]
For a right handed thrower, the next stage is to move the weight over the left foot. From this position the right foot is raised, and the athlete 'runs' across the circle. There are various techniques for this stage where the leg swings out to a small or great extent, some athletes turn on their left heel (e.g. Ilke Wylluda[13]) but turning on the ball of the foot is far more common.
The aim is to land in the 'power position', the right foot should be in the center and the heel should not touch the ground at any point. The left foot should land very quickly after the right. Weight should be mostly over the back foot with as much torque as possible in the body—so the right arm is high and far back. This is very hard to achieve.[14]
The critical stage is the delivery of the discus, from this 'power position' the hips drive through hard, and will be facing the direction of the throw on delivery. Athletes employ various techniques to control the end-point and recover from the throw, such as fixing feet (to pretty much stop dead[13]), or an active reverse spinning onto the left foot (e.g. Virgilijus Alekna[15]).
Sports scientistRichard Ganslen researched theAerodynamics of the Discus, reporting the discus willstall at an angle of 29°.[16]
Discus throwers have been selected as a main motif in numerous collectors' coins. One of the recent samples is the €10 GreekDiscus commemorative coin, minted in 2003 to commemorate the2004 Summer Olympics. On the obverse of the coin a modern athlete is seen in the foreground in a half-turned position, while in the background an ancient discus thrower has been captured in a lively bending motion, with the discus high above his head, creating a vivid representation of the sport.
^Typically only one throw per competition would be included on this list, however due to this throw and the subsequent throw of 75.56 m (247 ft 10 in) both breaking the world record they are given special status and both are included.
Matthew Denny had throws of 71.03, 73.46, 74.25, 72.93, 71.14 and 73.56 at the Oklahoma Throws Series in Ramona on 10 April 2025, becoming the second man to produce six throws above 70 meters in a single competition.[21] He achieved a series average of 72.72 m, which is the best in history.[34]
Mykolas Alekna had throws of 72.21, 70.32, 72.89, 70.51, 74.35 and 70.50 at the Oklahoma Throws Series in Ramona on 14 April 2024, becoming the first man to produce three throws above 72 meters (and six throws above 70 meters) in a single competition.[35]
Kristjan Čeh had throws of 71.86, 71.70 and 71.19 in Jõhvi on 16 June 2023 becoming the first man to have three throws above 71 metres in a single competition.[29]
At the 2019 Diamond League Meeting in Doha, Qatar,Daniel Ståhl became the first man to produce six throws beyond 69.50 in a single competition.[36]
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