The event was won by Al Oerter of the United States, the nation's fourth consecutive and 11th overall victory in the men's discus throw.

He was only the second person to win three consecutive gold medals in any individual athletics event (after John Flanagan in the hammer from 1904 to 1912).

Ludvik Danek of Czechoslovakia took silver to break up the Americans' two-Games dominance of the discus podium; no non-American had won a medal since 1952.

Dave Weill earned bronze to make this the fourth straight Games that the United States had won at least two medals in the event.

[2] Iran, the Ivory Coast, and Puerto Rico each made their debut in the men's discus throw.

The United States made its 15th appearance, having competed in every edition of the Olympic men's discus throw to date.

The competition used the two-round format introduced in 1936, with the qualifying round completely separate from the divided final.