Jürgen Schult

Jürgen Schult (born 11 May 1960) is a German former track and field athlete and as of 2019, the world record holder in the discus throw. Holding the title since 1986, it is the longest standing record in men's track and field. Schult represented East Germany in the 1988 Olympic competition in the discus throw on 1 October 1988, when he won the gold medal.

Jürgen Schult
Schult in 1988
Personal information
Born (1960-05-11) 11 May 1960[1]
Neuhaus, Hagenow, Mecklenburg-Vorpommern, East Germany[1]
Height193 cm (6 ft 4 in)[1]
Weight110 kg (243 lb)[1]
Sport
Country
  • East Germany (1979–1990)
  • Germany (1991–2000)
SportAthletics
Event(s)Discus throw
ClubSchweriner SC
SC Riesa
Achievements and titles
Personal best(s)74.08 m (1986)WR
Medal record
Men’s athletics
Representing  East Germany /  Germany
Olympic Games
1988 Seoul Discus
1992 Barcelona Discus
World Championships
1987 Rome Discus
1999 Seville Discus
1993 Stuttgart Discus
1997 Athens Discus
European Championships
1990 SplitDiscus throw
1998 BudapestDiscus throw
1994 HelsinkiDiscus throw
Updated on 16 June 2015.

Biography

Born in Amt Neuhaus, now in Niedersachsen, Schult was unable to compete in the 1984 Summer Olympics in Los Angeles due to his country's boycott of the games. He set a world record in the discus in 1986. As an athlete under the East German program, his throw of 74.08 meters (243.0 ft) bested the previous record of Soviet athlete, Yuriy Dumchev, of 71.86 meters (235.8 ft). This discus world record still stands today and is the longest-standing men's world record ever (having surpassed the length of Jesse Owens's long jump record, which stood for 25 years and 79 days).[2]

In 1988, at the first track and field competition ever between East and West Germany, Schult refused to shake hands with his former teammate who he had beaten, Wolfgang Schmidt, who had very shortly before moved from East to West Germany.

Later in his long sports career, Schult joined the reunified German team. He competed in a second Olympic Games in 1992, getting a silver medal, and the 1999 World Championships, again getting second place. He competed in his final Olympics in 2000 at the age of 40, finishing in 8th place.

Schult has a degree in sport and in 2002 became the trainer of the German track and field association's men's discus team.

Schult represented the Traktor Schwerin sports club and trained with Dr. Hermann Brandt, later he represented the Schwerin and Riesa sports clubs and trained with Thomas Schult. While he was actively competing he was 1.93 meters tall and weighed 110 kilograms.

International competitions

References
  1. "Jürgen Schult". sports-reference.com. Sports Reference. Archived from the original on 17 April 2020. Retrieved 16 June 2015.
  2. Post, Marty (25 August 2011). After 51 years, Owens' longevity record finally falls. IAAF. Retrieved on 21 September 2011.
Records
Preceded by
Yuriy Dumchev		 Men's Discus World and European Record Holder
6 June 1986 – present		 Succeeded by
Incumbent
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