Jürgen Schult facts for kids
Schult in 1988
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| Born | 11 May 1960 Neuhaus, Hagenow, Mecklenburg-Vorpommern, East Germany |
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| Height | 193 centimetres (6 ft 4 in) | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Weight | 110 kilograms (243 lb) | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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| Sport | Athletics | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Event(s) | Discus throw | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Club | Schweriner SC SC Riesa |
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| Achievements and titles | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Personal best(s) | 74.08 m (1986) | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Medal record
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| Updated on 16 June 2015. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Jürgen Schult (born 11 May 1960) is a famous German athlete. He was a master of the discus throw, a sport where athletes throw a heavy disc as far as they can. For a very long time, from 1986 to 2024, Jürgen held the world record for the longest discus throw! He won a gold medal for East Germany at the 1988 Olympic Games.
Contents
Jürgen Schult's Early Life and Career
Jürgen Schult was born in Amt Neuhaus, which is now in Lower Saxony, Germany. He became a top athlete in track and field, focusing on the discus throw.
Missing the 1984 Olympics
Jürgen was a strong competitor in the 1980s. However, he could not take part in the 1984 Summer Olympics in Los Angeles. This was because his home country, East Germany, decided not to send its athletes to those games.
Setting a World Record
In 1986, Jürgen Schult made history. He threw the discus an amazing 74.08 meters (243.0 ft). This throw broke the old world record set by Soviet athlete Yuriy Dumchev. Jürgen's record was one of the longest-standing men's world records ever! It lasted for 37 years and 9 months. Finally, in 2024, Mykolas Alekna threw the discus even farther, at 74.35 meters (243.9 ft).
A Moment of Sportsmanship
In 1988, there was a special track and field event. It was the first time athletes from East and West Germany competed against each other. Jürgen Schult won the discus throw. After the competition, he chose not to shake hands with his former teammate, Wolfgang Schmidt. Schmidt had recently moved from East Germany to West Germany.
Later Career and Achievements
After Germany became one country again, Jürgen Schult joined the unified German team. He continued to compete at the highest level for many years.
Olympic and World Championship Medals
Jürgen competed in his second Olympic Games in 1992. There, he won a silver medal in the discus throw. He also earned a silver medal at the 1999 World Championships. He won bronze medals at the World Championships in 1993 and 1997. He also won a gold medal at the 1990 European Championships, a silver in 1998, and a bronze in 1994.
Jürgen competed in his last Olympic Games in 2000. He was 40 years old at the time and finished in eighth place.
Life After Competing
Jürgen Schult studied sport in college. After he stopped competing, he became a coach. In 2002, he started training the German track and field association's men's discus team.
While he was competing, Jürgen was 1.93 meters (about 6 feet 4 inches) tall. He weighed 110 kilograms (about 242 pounds). He trained with different clubs, including Traktor Schwerin, Schwerin, and Riesa sports clubs.
See also
In Spanish: Jürgen Schult para niños
