Discus Throw
Men World Record Progression

This page presents the historical progression of the men’s Discus Throw World Record, including performance, athlete, date and competition details.

Back to World Records

Discus Throw, Men World Record Progression, Al Oerter
Al Oerter, Rome 1960 Olympics
Photo: http://www.aloerter.com/Images/olymp/olymp3.jpg, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons
Current World Record75.56 (Mykolas Alekna, LTU)
Most ratified WRsMac Wilkins (USA) – 4
Al Oerter (USA) – 4
Fortune Gordien (USA) – 4
First over – 51,00Erik Krenz (USA, 1930)
First over -55,00Adolfo Consolini (ITA, 1948)
First over – 60,00Jay Silvester (USA, 1961)
First over – 65,00Ludvik Daněk (TCH, 1965)
First over – 70,00Mac Wilkins (USA, 1976)
Total ratified progressions
(IAAF/WA era, including )		45
Countries with more ratified WRsUSA: 28
ITA, LTU: 3
Alfred (Al) Oerter Jr. was a four-time Olympic champion in the discus throw (1956, 1960, 1964, 1968); the first athlete to win a gold medal in the same individual event in four consecutive Olympic Games. Oerter is an inductee of the IAAF Hall of Fame.

Before the establishment of the IAAF and the official ratification system, the men’s discus throw World Record progression reflected the gradual standardisation of one of athletics’ oldest events. During the late nineteenth century, performances were achieved under varying competition conditions, including different throwing circle dimensions, before the modern 2.50-metre circle became universally adopted. Despite these differences, the event developed rapidly, with the World Best improving from Panagiotis Paraskevopoulos‘ 28.81 metres in 1896 to beyond 44 metres by the beginning of the IAAF era.

The years immediately preceding the foundation of the IAAF saw the discus throw become increasingly organised through international competition, particularly at the Olympic Games. Athletes from Greece, the United States, Hungary and Finland all contributed to the event’s rapid evolution. American thrower James Duncan set the first officially recognised IAAF World Record with 47.58 metres in 1912, marking the beginning of the modern World Record progression and the start of a new era of technical and performance development.

Discus Throw, Men World Record Progression – Data Table

PerformanceAthleteCountryDateLocationCompetitionNotes
75.56Mykolas AleknaLTU13/4/2025Ramona OKOklahome Throws Series
74.89Mykolas AleknaLTU13/4/2025Ramona OKOklahome Throws Series
74.35Mykolas AleknaLTU13/4/2024Ramona OKOklahome Throws Series
74.08Jürgen SchultGDR6/6/1986NeubrandenburgEC Qualifying Meeting
71.86Yuriy DumchevURS29/5/1983MoskvaMoskva Championship
71.16Wolfgang SchmidtGDR9/8/1978Berlin (Ost)National Throwers Day
69.80Mac WilkinsUSA1/5/1976San JoseSan Jose Invitational
70.24Mac WilkinsUSA1/5/1976San JoseSan Jose Invitational
70.86Mac WilkinsUSA1/5/1976San JoseSan Jose Invitational
69.18Mac WilkinsUSA24/4/1976WalnutMt. SAC Relays
69.08John PowellUSA4/5/1975Long BeachLong Beach Invitational
68.48John Van ReenenRSA14/3/1975Stellenbosch University Championship
68.40Ricky BruchSWE5/7/1972StockholmInternational Meeting
68.40Jay SilvesterUSA18/9/1968RenoAll-Comers Meet
66.54Jay SilvesterUSA25/5/1968ModestoCalifornia Relays
65.22Ludvik Daněk TCH12/10/1965SokolovNational Meeting
64.55Ludvik Daněk TCH2/8/1964TurnovNational Meeting
62.94Al OerterUSA25/4/1964WalnutMt. SAC Relays
62.62Al OerterUSA27/4/1963WalnutMt. SAC Relays
62.45Al OerterUSA1/7/1962ChicagoUSA-POL Int. Match
61.64Vladimir TrusenyovURS4/6/1962LeningradLocal Sports Meeting
61.10Al OerterUSA18/5/1962Los AngelesLA Col R
60.72Jay SilvesterUSA20/8/1961BruxellesCISM World Military
60.56Jay SilvesterUSA11/8/1961FrankfurtInternational Meeting
59.91Rink BabkaUSA12/8/1960WalnutOlympic Test
59.91Edmund PiatkowskiPOL14/6/1959WarszawaJanusz Kusocinski Memorial
59.28Fortune GordienUSA22/8/1953PasadenaAll-Comers Meet
58.10Fortune GordienUSA11/7/1953PasadenaAll-Comers Meet
57.93Sim InessUSA20/6/1953LincolnNCAA Championships
56.97Fortune GordienUSA14/8/1949H?meenlinnaInternational Meeting
56.46Fortune GordienUSA9/7/1949LisboaInternational Meeting
55.33Adolfo ConsoliniITA10/10/1948MilanoNational Meeting
54.93Robert FitchUSA8/6/1946MinneapolisAAU Championships
54.23Adolfo ConsoliniITA14/4/1946MilanoNational Meeting
53.34Adolfo ConsoliniITA26/10/1941MilanoNational Meeting
53.26Archie HarrisUSA20/6/1941Palo AltoNCAA Championships
53.10Willy SchröderGER28/4/1935MagdeburgQualification for Mittelelbe District
52.42Harald AnderssonSWE25/8/1934OsloNOR-SWE Int. Match
51.73Paul JessupUSA23/8/1930PittsburghAAU Championships
51.03Eric KrenzUSA17/5/1930Palo AltoCalifornia Intercollegiate Meet
49.90Eric KrenzUSA9/3/1929Palo AltoStanford Olympic Club
48.20Bud HouserUSA3/4/1926Palo AltoUSC-Stanford Dual Meet
47.89Glenn HartranftUSA2/5/1925San FranciscoAAU Pacific Championships
47.61Thomas LiebUSA14/9/1924ChicagoIAAC Games
47.58James DunkanUSA27/5/1912New YorkNY Post Office Clerk's Ass. Games

References

See also: [Men’s Shot Put WR Progression][Women’s Discus Throw WR Progression]

Scroll to Top