Athletics at the 1896 Summer Olympics – men's discus throw — men's discus throw events at the Olympics
Robert Garrett of the United States won the second modern Olympic gold medal in the discus throw at the 1896 Athens Games, defeating favored Greek competitors.
Key Facts
- Date contested
- 6 April 1896
- Number of athletes
- 9
- Gold medalist
- Robert Garrett (United States)
- Silver medalist
- Panagiotis Paraskevopoulos (Greece)
- Bronze medalist
- Sotirios Versis (Greece)
- Garrett's practice discus weight
- 10 kg vs actual 2 kg competition weight
By the Numbers
Location
Cause → Event → Consequence
The discus throw had never been held at an international competition before 1896, meaning most competitors lacked experience with the event. Robert Garrett had practiced with a 10-kilogram discus, far heavier than regulation, leading to poor results and his initial decision not to compete. Only upon arriving in Athens did he learn the actual discus weighed two kilograms, prompting him to reconsider.
Nine athletes from France, Sweden, the United States, Great Britain, Greece, and Denmark competed in the men's discus throw on 6 April 1896, the fourth event and second final of the Athletics programme. Garrett entered as the last foreigner and, despite his limited preparation, outperformed the Greek competitors who were considered favorites in their traditional event.
Garrett's victory gave the United States a gold medal in the discus throw and established him as a notable figure of the inaugural modern Olympics. Greece took both second and third place through Paraskevopoulos and Versis respectively. Garrett would go on to win the shot put the following day, further cementing American success at the Games.
Result
at Panathenaic Stadium, Athens