Jay Silvester

Jay Silvester won five AAU discus titles and set four world records, but he was never at his best in his four Olympic appearances. In 1964 he placed fourth; he finished fifth in 1968; and, after his silver medal in 1972, he finished eighth in 1976. At the 1975 Pan American Games he won bronze. Silvester, who attended Utah State, was the greatest shot/discus performer on distance thrown until Mac Wilkins, and he won both events at the 1962 British championships. His best mark with the shot was 65-7¾ (20.01) and in the discus he had a best of 230-11 (70.38) in 1971, which was the first 70-metre throw, but was not ratified as a world record. He later became a professor of physical education at Brigham Young.

Personal Best: DT – 70.38 (1971).