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

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.

Men's discus throw
at the Games of the XXX Olympiad
Robert Harting (later in 2012)
VenueOlympic Stadium
Dates6–7 August
Competitors41 from 24 nations
Winning distance68.27
Medalists
1st place, gold medalist(s) Robert Harting
 Germany
2nd place, silver medalist(s) Ehsan Haddadi
 Iran
3rd place, bronze medalist(s) Gerd Kanter
 Estonia
← 2008
2016 →
Official Video Highlights

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

edit

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

edit

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

edit

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

edit

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

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

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

Schedule

edit

All times are British Summer Time (UTC+1)

Date Time Round
Monday, 6 August 2012 10:00 Qualifying
Tuesday, 7 August 2012 19:45 Final

Summary

edit

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

edit

Qualifying

edit

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

Rank Group Athlete Nation 1 2 3 Distance Notes
1 B Gerd Kanter   Estonia X 59.72 66.39 66.39 Q
2 B Robert Harting   Germany 66.22 66.22 Q
3 B Jorge Fernandez   Cuba 65.34 65.34 Q
4 B Lawrence Okoye   Great Britain X 63.00 65.28 65.28 Q
5 A Vikas Gowda   India 63.52 65.20 65.20 Q
6 A Ehsan Haddadi   Iran 65.19 65.19 Q
7 A Piotr Małachowski   Poland 62.08 64.65 63.96 64.65 q
8 B Martin Wierig   Germany 64.13 62.66 X 64.13 q
9 B Benn Harradine   Australia 64.00 X 61.39 64.00 q
10 A Virgilijus Alekna   Lithuania 62.32 63.88 X 63.88 q
11 A Frank Casañas   Spain X 63.76 60.21 63.76 q
12 A Erik Cadée   Netherlands 63.55 X X 63.55 q
13 A Apostolos Parellis   Cyprus 63.48 62.49 62.54 63.48
14 B Mario Pestano   Spain 63.40 63.36 X 63.40
15 B Bogdan Pishchalnikov   Russia 61.69 X 63.15 63.15
16 B Rutger Smith   Netherlands 63.00 62.70 63.09 63.09
17 B Martin Marić   Croatia 61.04 62.83 62.87 62.87
18 A Jason Young   United States 62.18 X X 62.18
19 A Scott Martin   Australia 58.15 57.67 62.14 62.14
20 B Traves Smikle   Jamaica X 59.59 61.85 61.85
21 B Lance Brooks   United States 61.17 60.59 59.25 61.17
22 B Przemyslaw Czajkowski   Poland 58.73 X 61.08 61.08
23 A Ercüment Olgundeniz   Turkey X X 60.87 60.87
24 B Gerhard Mayer   Austria 59.40 60.81 60.27 60.81
25 A Märt Israel   Estonia 59.60 X 60.34 60.34
26 B Omar Ahmed El Ghazaly   Egypt 60.16 60.26 58.89 60.26
27 A Aleksander Tammert   Estonia 57.00 60.20 59.78 60.20
28 A Julian Wruck   Australia 58.01 60.08 59.64 60.08
29 B Abdul Buhari   Great Britain 54.20 55.78 60.08 60.08
30 A Markus Münch   Germany 59.95 59.34 X 59.95
31 B Jarred Rome   United States X X 59.57 59.57
32 A Robert Urbanek   Poland 59.56 X X 59.56
33 B Sultan Mubarak Al-Dawoodi   Saudi Arabia 55.48 55.80 59.54 59.54
34 B Mykyta Nesterenko   Ukraine X 58.22 59.17 59.17
35 A Brett Morse   Great Britain X 58.18 X 58.18
36 A Roland Varga   Croatia 57.76 58.17 57.79 58.17
37 A Germán Lauro   Argentina X 55.23 57.54 57.54
38 B Danijel Furtula   Montenegro 57.48 X X 57.48
39 A Jason Morgan   Jamaica 56.25 56.72 57.46 57.46
40 A Yunio Lastre   Cuba X X 57.33 57.33
41 B Ronald Julião   Brazil X 56.20 X 56.20

Final

edit
Rank Athlete Nation 1 2 3 4 5 6 Distance Notes
  Robert Harting   Germany 67.79 X 67.27 66.45 68.27 67.08 68.27
  Ehsan Haddadi   Iran 68.18 64.09 67.28 66.98 X X 68.18
  Gerd Kanter   Estonia 65.07 65.79 66.02 65.96 68.03 66.99 68.03 SB
4 Virgilijus Alekna   Lithuania 67.38 X X 66.07 X X 67.38
5 Piotr Małachowski   Poland 62.50 66.92 X 67.19 X X 67.19
6 Martin Wierig   Germany 63.34 63.98 X 65.85 64.79 65.12 65.85
7 Frank Casañas   Spain 65.56 X X 64.92 65.48 63.16 65.56
8 Vikas Gowda   India 64.79 60.95 63.03 64.15 64.48 63.89 64.79
9 Benn Harradine   Australia 58.24 63.16 63.59 Did not advance 63.59
10 Erik Cadée   Netherlands 62.40 62.77 62.78 Did not advance 62.78
11 Jorge Fernandez   Cuba X 60.04 62.02 Did not advance 62.02
12 Lawrence Okoye   Great Britain 61.03 X 60.11 Did not advance 61.03

References

edit
  1. ^ "Athletics at the 2012 Summer Olympics". Archived from the original on 2012-09-05. Retrieved 2012-05-11.
  2. ^ a b "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.