The men’s discus weighs 2 kilograms and has diameter of 22 centimeters. The women’s version weighs 1 kilogram and has a diameter of 18 centimeters. Throwing area
The discus is thrown from a circle with a diameter of 2.5 meters. Competitors may touch the inside of the circle's rim but cannot touch the top of the rim during the throw. The thrower cannot touch the ground outside the throwing circle during an attempt, nor can he/she leave the circle until the discus hits the ground. All discus throws are made from an enclosure to ensure the safety of bystanders. The competition
Twelve competitors qualify for the Olympic discus throw final. In the 2004 Games, 39 men and 42 women participated in their respective qualification rounds prior to the final. The results from the qualification rounds do not carry over into the final.
As in all throwing events, the 12 finalists have three attempts apiece, then the top eight competitors receive three more attempts. The longest single throw during the final wins.
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