PANAM SPORTS LEGENDS: AL OERTER

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The discus thrower from the United States is recognized as one of the greatest athletes in the history of world athletics. He was the first athlete ever to win four consecutive gold medals in the same individual event at the Olympic Games.

Although he passed away in 2007, his memory and his historical legacy remain alive and well among sports fans throughout the world.

Al Oerter was born on September 19, 1936 in Astoria, Queens in New York City and only began his career in athletics at the age of 15.

He received a scholarship to the University of Kansas in 1954 and three years later he was crowned NCAA Champion, leading to his selection for the U.S. athletics team.

This impressive athlete — measuring 1.93 meters and weighing 127 kilograms — received his first Olympic experience at the Games of Melbourne 1956. Although he wasn’t the favorite to win the competition, he surprised everyone by winning the gold medal with a throw of 56.64 meters, a mark that surpassed all other competitors by 5 meters.

His first continental title would come at the Chicago 1959 Pan American Games. He won his first Pan Am Games gold with a throw of 58.12m, besting his compatriots Dick Cochran and Parry O’Brien.

The following year at the Rome 1960 Olympics, he faced his teammate and world record holder, Rink Babka. In an entertaining and attractive duel of the best discus throwers in the world, Babka led the competition until the fourth throw. However, Al Oerter’s characteristic winning attitude fueled him to throw 59.18m on his fifth attempt that secured his second consecutive gold medal at the Olympic Games.

In 1962, the American athlete claimed his first world record in the event and was the first athlete in history to surpass the 200-foot barrier (60.96m).

Al Oerter arrived with an injury at the Tokyo 1964 Olympics. His serious injury to his neck and ribs nearly forced him out of the competition. However, his desire to win his third consecutive Olympic gold was stronger.

Competing while injured and without attempting a sixth throw, Team USA’s star took first place with a mark of 61 meters to set a new Olympic record, surpassing the Czech Ludvik Danek (60.52) and Dave Weill of the United States (59.49) to once again top the podium.

At the Mexico 1968 Olympic Games, the 32-year-old Al Oerter wrote his name in the Olympic history books with golden letters. With a mark of 64.78 meters (another Olympic record) he won his fourth consecutive gold medal, making him the first athlete in the world to claim four consecutive gold medals in the same individual event at the Olympics.

After the Olympics in Mexico, Oerter retired from competition. He returned to competition more than a decade later, throwing a personal best of 69.46m in 1980.

The historic champion battled cardiovascular and blood pressure issues after retiring from sport, leading to several hospitalizations. Doctors recommended that he receive a heart transplant In 2007, but Al Oerter refused the operation.

“I’ve had an interesting life and I’m going to leave with what I have,” he said at the time. He died shortly after on October 1, 2007 at the age of 71 due to heart failure.

Al Oerter’s record of four consecutive Olympic titles in the same individual event has been tied by five other athletes, including fellow U.S. athletics icon Carl Lewis and U.S. swimming legend Michael Phelps, as well as Denmark’s Paul Elvstrom in sailing and wrestlers Mijain Lopez of Cuba and Icho Kaori of Japan.