Paris Olympics 2024: What is the weight of the discus used in the discus throw event?

The discus throw event is one of the four track and field throwing events at the Olympics. The event requires a competitor to spin in a 2.5m diameter circle before hurling a heavy disk, using rotational energy. The weight of the discus differs for men and women throwers. For the men’s event, the weight of the metal disc is 2 kg and for the women’s event, the weight stands at 1 kg.

The throwers are allowed to touch the inside edges of the throwing circle but they cannot touch the top of the rim of the said circle. In case an athlete crosses the throwing circle before the disc lands on the ground, the throw is considered a foul, thus prohibiting the thrower from touching the ground beyond the circle. There are a total of eight attempts that each athlete is given at the Olympics to make their best throw. If the disc lands beyond a marked boundary, the throw is declared invalid.

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History of discus throw and world records

The history of discus throw can be dated back to 708 BC. The event was introduced during the Ancient Olympics as a part of the ancient Greek pentathlon event which also included the long jump, running, wrestling, and javelin throw. It later became a part of the first-ever Olympic games in Athens in 1896.

While it was only the men’s category for the first few editions, the women’s competition was included at the 1928 Summer Games in Amsterdam. The current men's world record is held by Lithuania’s Mykolas Alekna with a throw of 74.35m in 2024. The said throw saw Alekna break the previous world record that stood since 1986. For women, Germany’s Gabriele Reinsch holds the record with a 76.80m throw.

At the Olympics, Lithuania’s Virgilijus Alekna holds the men’s record with a 69.89m throw and Germany’s Martina Hellmann holds the women’s record with an effort of 72.30m.