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

The men's Greek-style discus throw was one of six throwing events on the Athletics at the 1908 Summer Olympics programme in London. The competition was held on 18 July 1908. In the Greek-style event, throwers hurled the discus from atop a rectangular platform raised above the ground. Throwing style was strictly prescribed by the rules of the event. The event had been contested at the 1906 Summer Olympics, but was not held again after 1908. NOCs could enter up to 12 athletes.[1]

Men's Greek-style discus throw
at the Games of the IV Olympiad
Gold medallist Martin Sheridan in the Greek discus event; note the rectangular platform he is standing on. In the standard discus event, athletes threw from inside a white circle.
VenueWhite City Stadium
Date18 July
Competitors23 from 8 nations
Medalists
1st place, gold medalist(s) Martin Sheridan  United States
2nd place, silver medalist(s) Bill Horr  United States
3rd place, bronze medalist(s) Verner Järvinen  Finland

Records edit

These were the standing world and Olympic records in the standard discus throw prior to the competition.

World record   Wilhelm Dörr (GER) 43.86 Worms 1907 [2]
Olympic record   Martin Sheridan (USA)
  Ralph Rose (USA)
39.28 St Louis 3 September 1904

Results edit

Place Name Nation Distance
1 Martin Sheridan   United States 37.99 metres
2 Bill Horr   United States 37.32 metres
3 Verner Järvinen   Finland 36.48 metres
4 Arthur Dearborn   United States 35.65 metres
5 Michalis Dorizas   Greece 33.34 metres
6 Nikolaos Georgantas   Greece 33.21 metres
7 István Mudin   Hungary 33.11 metres
8 Wilbur Burroughs   United States 32.81 metres
9 Elmer Niklander   Finland 32.46 metres
10 Umberto Avattaneo   Italy 29.15 metres
11–23 Platt Adams   United States Unknown
John Barrett   Great Britain Unknown
Alfred Flaxman   Great Britain Unknown
Folke Fleetwood   Sweden Unknown
John Garrels   United States Unknown
György Luntzer   Hungary Unknown
Walter Henderson   Great Britain Unknown
Imre Mudin   Hungary Unknown
Henry Leeke   Great Britain Unknown
Eric Lemming   Sweden Unknown
Ernest May   Great Britain Unknown
Mór Kóczán   Hungary Unknown
Miroslav Šustera   Bohemia Unknown

References edit

  1. ^ Official report, p. 32.
  2. ^ "Track and Field Statistics". trackfield.brinkster.net. Retrieved 1 August 2023.

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.