Discus throw at the Olympics information

Discus throw at the Olympic Games
The inaugural discus throw in 1896
Overview
Sport	Athletics
Gender	Men and women
Years held	Men: 1896 – 2020 Women: 1928 – 2020
Olympic record
Men	69.89 m Virgilijus Alekna (2004)
Women	72.30 m Martina Hellmann (1988)
Reigning champion
Men	Daniel Ståhl (SWE)
Women	Valarie Allman (USA)

The discus throw is one of four track and field throwing events held at the Summer Olympics. The men's discus throw has been present on the Olympic athletics programme since 1896 (one of two throws events at the first Olympics, alongside the shot put). The women's event was first contested at the 1928 Olympics, being one of the five athletics events in the inaugural Olympic women's programme.

The Olympic records are 69.89 m (229 ft 3+1⁄2 in) for men, set by Virgilijus Alekna in 2004, and 72.30 m (237 ft 2+1⁄4 in) for women, set by Martina Hellmann in 1988.

Two variations on the event have been contested at the Olympics: a two-handed competition at the 1912 Stockholm Olympics, with athletes using both left and right arm putting techniques, and a stone throw at the 1906 Intercalated Games.