[2] The event was won by Krisztián Pars of Hungary, the nation's first victory in the men's hammer throw since 1996 and fifth overall (third-most all-time behind the United States' seven and the Soviet Union's six).

Kozmus and Murofoshi were the 12th and 13th men to earn multiple medals in the hammer throw.

After a retesting of his 2004 sample (which resulted in his 2004 silver medal being stripped), 2008 bronze medalist and 2012 world leader Ivan Tsikhan's entry was withdrawn.

The United States appeared for the 25th time, most of any nation, having missed only the boycotted 1980 Games.

That lasted until the third round when Murofushi's best effort put him in the bronze medal position.

A great deal of photojournalist attention was devoted to the mini Cooper vehicles being used to retrieve the implements during the competition.

The maximum number of athletes per nation had been set at 3 since the 1930 Olympic Congress.