Irish success at weight-throwing event

Antwerp, 21 Aug 1920 - Irishman Pat McDonald won a gold medal for the United States at today’s 56 pound weight-throwing event.

McDonald broke the Olympic record by throwing the weight 11.00 metres. His performance today took place before a huge crowd; 30,000 people crammed into the Olympic stadium to view the sporting spectacle. The reason for the big jump in spectators is that the organisers, having been disappointed with small numbers in the first few days, made two thirds of the seats available for free to the public.

His teammate and fellow Irishman Patrick Ryan secured the silver medal – a very close second with a distance of 10.95 metres. Sweden’s Carl Johan Lind took home bronze with a 10.255 metre throw.

McDonald was born in Doonbeg, Co. Clare and later emigrated to the United States. 

Limerick-man Patrick Ryan has already won a gold medal in the hammer throw event.

[Editor's note: This is an article from Century Ireland, a fortnightly online newspaper, written from the perspective of a journalist 100 years ago, based on news reports of the time.]