25.10.2007

The art of discus

The recent passing of Olympic discus hero Al Oerter moved many students of his discipline, but had a particularly personal touch for throws coach Gus Puopolo.

Oerter, who died of heart failure on October 1 in Florida aged 71, was an American athlete considered in sporting camaraderie as a sentimental Australian, having etched his name in our nation’s annals through triumph as a 20 year-old at the Melbourne Olympic Games of 1956.

He also conquered that stage for the three Games that followed; Rome of 1960, Tokyo of 1964 and Mexico City of 1968, setting four straight Olympic records and earning his remarkable third with torn rib cartilage.

Enthusiasts would appreciate that Carl Lewis (long jump) is the only other athlete to have captured four successive gold medals.

Oerter's win in Melbourne came from his very first throw when, across the world, an eight year-old Puopolo was still living in Italy, naturally unaware that he would one day “be associated with such a great athlete.”

“Just the dedication, for a person to go through and win four Olympic gold medals in a row when you’re not a favourite at any of them, that is phenomenal,” he said. “That is one special person.

“To be able to come to the day and not be favoured, but to be able to come to compete…that’s the key that a lot of the athletes have to learn at the major meets like the Olympics, the World Championships and the Commonwealth Games. It’s not how far you throw, it’s how you compete and beat your opposition, and he was fantastic.”

Puopolo, a seven-time national hammer throw champion, joined two of his prized athletes, Scott Martin and Benn Harradine, in meeting Oerter when he made the trip out for the 50th anniversary celebrations of Australia’s inaugural Games.

“I met him last year and we also got some photographs taken with Scott, myself and Benn at the MCG,” he said. “We met with him, we spoke with him, we went out to dinner with him and he was just brilliant. Such an honourable person, it was just fantastic.”

Ironically, just two men have claimed discus gold at the MCG; Martin the second of those after his stirring effort at last year’s Commonwealth Games.

“To win the gold medal on his last round and the last throw that night was absolutely special for both of us and all the squad,” Puopolo endorsed. “All of the people that have been associated with me over the years, they were all part of that and it was absolutely one of those special moments.”

Retiring from athletics after Mexico City 1968, Oerter still attempted to qualify for the Olympic Games of Moscow 1980 that were eventually boycotted by his country. However, his best ever throw (69.46m) was produced at the time - and at the age of 43.

In retirement, Oerter maintained his connection to the sport through the Olympic Movement, carrying the flag at Los Angeles 1984, the flame at Atlanta 1996 and returning to Australia yet again for Sydney 2000.

However, a lot of his energy went into abstract art; painting that was largely inspired by his sport.

Many of the New Yorker’s creations were born through the use of a discus (some flung into paint to create splashes on a canvas) and one of his decorated implements was made available for auction at last year’s celebrations.

That night, Puopolo’s attempts to secure the discus were bettered. By Athletics Australia’s president Rob Fildes.

“I got so annoyed and thought ‘who the hell wants this discus as much as us?’” he recalled. “I didn’t know that Rob was actually doing this, he was so far away.

“I wanted to buy it but it got to the point where it was a little bit high and that was it.”

Two weeks ago, Fildes shared a laugh and a special thought - presenting the piece to Puopolo at Athletics Australia’s head office, acknowledging his wonderful contribution to the sport. Martin and Puopolo’s wife Christina were there to enjoy the moment.

But for Puopolo, who is battling cancer, the gesture was as overwhelming as Oerter’s impact on the sport.

“I was speechless.”

By Steven Lavell

Image: Rob Fildes presents Gus Puopolo with Al Oerter's discus

Al Oerter’s official website at aloerter.com reads “I was born and raised in New York City, and my early heroes, in addition to the weight throwers of the New York Athletic Club, were the abstract artists of the 30’s, 40’s and 50’s. They fired the imagination as they broke new ground and as athletic heroes fade a bit, the artists advance. Never having an athletic coach or a teacher or mentor in art, everything I create comes from within. I hope you enjoy my work as much as I do in creating it.”