Discus throwing is an ancient sport that the Greeks took part in as far back as 800 BC.
It remains a popular event in track and field to this day.
So how much does a discus weigh?
The weight of a discus depends on the age, size, and gender of the competitor who will be throwing it.
In the United States, the youth boys’ discus weighs 1 kilogram (2.2 pounds). High school boys throw ones weighing 1.6 kilograms (3.5 pounds).
Weights for girls are 1 kilogram or 2.2 pounds.
How Much Does An Olympic Discus Weigh?
The men’s Olympic discus weighs 2 kilograms or 4.4 pounds.
The women’s discus is lighter, weighing 1 kilogram or 2.2 pounds.
Interesting Discus Facts:
A statue of a discus thrower sculpted by Myron in the 5th century BC indicates just how popular this event was.
Since then, discus throwing has withstood the test of time. It is in every men’s modern Olympics. It was also one of the first athletic events to take place in the women’s Olympics in 1928.
The first discus was made from stone and had a similar lens shape to the ones used today. As the sport has developed, the materials used to make a discus have also changed.
Metals such as lead, bronze, and iron were later used.
Today, a modern discus is usually made from metal, with plastic on the sides. Other materials such as wood, fiberglass, and plastic are also sometimes used.
What Is The Discus World Record?
Jürgen Schult, representing East Germany in 1986, holds the men’s discus record. He threw the discus 74.08 meters (243.5 feet).
Fellow East German, Gabriele Reinsch broke the women’s world record in 1988. She had a throw of 76.8 meters (251 feet 11.5 inches). That record still stands today!
~ Fun Fact ~
For hundreds of years, discus throwing was a forgotten sport.
The only records of the discus that existed were statues of discus throwers and ancient drawings.But in 1880, a German teacher, named Christian Georg Kohlrausch, rediscovered the discus.
He found out what a discus was and how ancient competitors threw this lens-shaped object.Thanks to his research, discus throwing made a comeback.
It was one of the most important events in the first modern Olympics in 1896!
Resources:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Discus_throw
https://www.everythingtrackandfield.com/throwing-implement-weight-requirements