B. 1936-09-19, Astoria, NY, USA
Track and Field (4 gold)
| 1956 | 1960 | 1964 | 1968 | HP | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Discus Throw | gold | gold | gold | gold | 76800 |
| 76800 |
Probably the supreme Olympic competitor, because he won four successive gold
medals, despite never being the sole favourite or the undisputed world number
one.
He was American high-school discus record holder in 1954 and two years later
surprised many, at only twenty, by winning his first Olympic title with a
record throw of 56.36m. In spite of all the pressure he again had a personal
record, this time of 59.18m in taking his second gold medal at Rome. For
his third Olympics, at Tokyo, he was seriously handicapped by torn cartilages
in his lower rib cage. He came out for the final with his ribs heavily taped
and his right side packed in ice to prevent internal haemorrhage. Yet he
still won. Four years later, at Mexico City, the rain swamped the throwing
circle but Oerter, now thirty-two, adjusted his technique by leaving out
preliminary swings and had the best three throws of his whole career, including
a winning 64.78m. Four times the world-record holder in the discus, Oerter
strongly condemned the use of illegal anabolic steroids, saying 'The Olympics
are unique. There is no job, no amount of power, no money to approach the
meaning of the Olympic experience.'
In 1980, Oerter, then 44, threw 69.46m (his personal best), but the boycott
prevented him from trying for a fifth gold medal.
And yet, he had come to the discus by accident. While he was sprinting,
a discus fell near him, so he threw it back. Further than it had come.
(768 HP)
last modified 2002-10-29
This page is part of the site "Full Olympians" by Herman De Wael. See here for a full Introduction.