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T&FN Special: The Al Oerter Legend, Gold Medal 2
This the story of discus legend Al
Oerter's second Olympic gold medal—in Rome, Italy—as it
appeared in the September 1960 edition of Track & Field News.
©Track & Field News, 1960–2007
Oerter Leads U.S. Sweep
by Hal Bateman
Defending champion Al Oerter finally broke the World Record but it will never get into the books. He shattered the mark while warming up for the qualifying round on the morning of Sept. 6.
The first round of discusmen had just finished with their qualifying throws and the second series, which contained Oerter, was warming up. At 9:56 Oerter walked into the ring, spun around and in a relaxed motion let the discus fly. The throw was so effortless that it didn't look as if it could go very far but it did and it landed two feet beyond the World Record marker of 59. 91 (196-6). This set everyone talking and prompted some of the others to see if they could do better. None could but Jozsef Szecenyi, the baldheaded Hungarian who is generally regarded as Europe's best discusman, got one past the Olympic Record marker.
Everyone assumed Oerter would qualify for the final quite easily but he gave the crowd a slight shock when he threw only 46.33 (152-0) on his first throw. That was well below the qualifying mark of 52.00 meters (170-7). But Oerter came hack and set an Olympic record of 58.43 meters (191-8) on his second heave.
Some great discus throwing was in prospect for the final after the way the athletes threw in the qualifying round. Overall, 22 managed to make the qualifying mark. However, some 180 footers still fell by the wayside. Those who failed to qualify were Carol Lindroos of Arizona State and Finland, Stephanus Du Plessis of South Africa and Mike Lindsay of Oklahoma and Great Britain.
In the final on Sept. 7, Rink Babka, who tied the World Record just before coming to Rome, gave Oerter something to think about with a first round throw of 58.02 meters (190-4). Oerter, who was throwing 11th while Babka was throwing sixth, just failed to match that with a heave of 57.64 (189-1). His throw probably would have been better except that he slipped in the ring.
Third after the first round was surprising Viktor Kompaneyets of Russia with a toss of 55.06 (180-8). Szecenyi was 4th at 54.58 (179-1) and Edmund Piatkowski, the present World Record holder from Poland, 5th at 54.06 (177-4). Dick Cochran, the third American, fouled on his first throw.
In the second round none of the leaders improved. Babka and Oerter had respective throws of 55.33 (181-6) and 56.73 (186-1) but Szecenyi fouled. Piatkowski dropped off to 51.52 (169-0) and Kompaneyets did 53.38 (175-1). Cochran passed Piatkowski and Szesenyi with a throw of 54.75 (179-7).
No position changes took place in the third round but in the fourth round Szecenyi moved into 3rd with a 55.22 (181-2) effort.
Going into the fifth round Babka's lead started to look pretty good but that didn't last long. Oerter threw 59.18 (194-2) to take the lead and just about wrap up his second gold medal in this event. Oerter led the U.S. to a sweep of the first three places in the Melbourne Olympics and Cochran gave the U.S. a sweep in this Olympics by taking over 3rd with a fifth-round toss of 57.18 (187-7). Szecenyi improved to 55.79 (183-0) but it wasn't enough to catch Cochran and Piatkowaki moved into 5th with a toss of 55. 12 (180-10).
That was the way they finished because no one improved in the last round.
"I was so tense I could barely throw," Oerter said after his victory.
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