| Date | 26 November 1956 |
|---|---|
| Status | Olympic |
| Location | Melbourne Cricket Ground, Melbourne, Victoria |
| Participants | 21 from 12 countries |
The javelin world record had taken a beating since 1952, due to new, more aerodynamic javelin designs, pioneered by American javelinist Franklin “Bud” Held and his brother, Dick. Bud Held used the new javelin to better the world record three times in 1953 and 1955. But a few months before Melbourne Poland’s Janusz Sidło pushed the jav out to 83.66 (274-5¾) for another record. The 1954 European Champion, he was the favorite. Norway’s Egil Danielsen was also considered a contender, based on a solid 1956 season. Defending champion Cy Young led the qualifiers but would struggle in the final, finishing 11th. Sidło led after three rounds with 79.98 (262-5), which would be his best mark, and would win the silver medal. Then in the fourth round, Danielson launched a low throw that seemed to stay airborne forever, breaking the world record with 85.71 (281-2½).
| Pos | Number | Competitor | NOC | Qualifying | Final | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 409 | Egil Danielsen |  NOR | 74.15 (2) | 85.71 (1) | Gold | ||
| 2 | 411 | Janusz Sidło |  POL | 72.00 (6) | 79.98 (2) | Silver | ||
| 3 | 421 | Viktor Tsybulenko |  URS | 71.20 (8) | 79.50 (3) | Bronze | ||
| 4 | 405 | Herbert Koschel |  GER | 72.90 (4) | 74.68 (4) | |||
| 5 | 410 | Jan Kopyto | POL | 68.19 (13) | 74.28 (5) | |||
| 6 | 408 | Giovanni Lievore |  ITA | 69.64 (11) | 72.88 (6) | |||
| 7 | 404 | Michel Macquet |  FRA | 71.23 (7) | 71.84 (7) | |||
| 8 | 419 | Aleksandr Gorshkov | URS | 72.31 (5) | 70.32 (8) | |||
| 9 | 406 | Heiner Will | GER | 70.38 (10) | 69.86 (9) | |||
| 10 | 416 | Phil Conley |  USA | 68.50 (12) | 69.74 (10) | |||
| 11 | 418 | Cy Young | USA | 74.76 (1) | 68.64 (11) | |||
| 12 | 420 | Vladimir Kuznetsov | URS | 73.89 (3) | 67.14 (12) | |||
| 13 | 660 | Sándor Krasznai |  HUN | 67.39 (15) | 66.33 (13) | |||
| 14 | 413 | Muhammad Nawaz |  PAK | 67.57 (14) | 62.55 (14) | |||
| AC r2/2 | 417 | Benny Garcia | USA | 71.17 (9) | – ( | |||
| 16 QR | 402 | Bob Grant |  AUS | 65.76 (16) | – | |||
| 17 QR | 412 | Jalal Khan | PAK | 65.35 (17) | – | |||
| 18 QR | 403 | Léon Syrovatski | FRA | 64.58 (18) | – | |||
| 19 QR | 293 | Reynaldo Oliver |  PUR | 63.68 (19) | – | |||
| 20 QR | 407 | Peter Cullen |  GBR | 62.77 (20) | – | |||
| 21 QR | 401 | Jim Achurch | AUS | 57.09 (21) | – |
| Date | 26 November 1956 — 10:00 |
|---|---|
| Format | All those reaching 66.00 metres advanced to the final. |
| Pos | Start Order | Competitor | NOC | Distance | Round #1 Distance | Round #2 Distance | Round #3 Distance | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 16 | Cy Young | USA | 74.76 | 63.30 | 74.76 | p | ||
| 2 | 8 | Egil Danielsen | NOR | 74.15 | 74.15 | p | p | ||
| 3 | 19 | Vladimir Kuznetsov | URS | 73.89 | 64.88 | 73.89 | p | ||
| 4 | 9 | Herbert Koschel | GER | 72.90 | 72.90 | p | p | ||
| 5 | 13 | Aleksandr Gorshkov | URS | 72.31 | 72.31 | p | p | ||
| 6 | 5 | Janusz Sidło | POL | 72.00 | 72.00 | p | p | ||
| 7 | 10 | Michel Macquet | FRA | 71.23 | 71.23 | p | p | ||
| 8 | 1 | Viktor Tsybulenko | URS | 71.20 | 71.20 | p | p | ||
| 9 | 18 | Benny Garcia | USA | 71.17 | 71.17 | p | p | ||
| 10 | 17 | Heiner Will | GER | 70.38 | 52.56 | 64.68 | 70.38 | ||
| 11 | 4 | Giovanni Lievore | ITA | 69.64 | 69.64 | p | p | ||
| 12 | 7 | Phil Conley | USA | 68.50 | 68.50 | p | p | ||
| 13 | 21 | Jan Kopyto | POL | 68.19 | 68.19 | p | p | ||
| 14 | 14 | Muhammad Nawaz | PAK | 67.57 | 59.44 | 61.62 | 67.57 | ||
| 15 | 15 | Sándor Krasznai | HUN | 67.39 | 61.87 | 67.39 | p | ||
| 16 | 20 | Bob Grant | AUS | 65.76 | x | 65.76 | 61.50 | ||
| 17 | 11 | Jalal Khan | PAK | 65.35 | 65.35 | x | 61.61 | ||
| 18 | 3 | Léon Syrovatski | FRA | 64.58 | 61.06 | 62.65 | 64.58 | ||
| 19 | 2 | Reynaldo Oliver | PUR | 63.68 | 55.85 | 52.42 | 63.68 | ||
| 20 | 12 | Peter Cullen | GBR | 62.77 | x | 61.37 | 62.77 | ||
| 21 | 6 | Jim Achurch | AUS | 57.09 | 57.09 | 43.43 | x |
| Date | 26 November 1956 — 15:25 |
|---|
| Pos | Start Order | Competitor | NOC | Distance | Round #1 Distance | Round #2 Distance | Round #3 Distance | Round #4 Distance | Round #5 Distance | Round #6 Distance | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 5 | Egil Danielsen | NOR | 85.71 | 72.60 | 68.49 | 70.75 | 85.71 | 72.60 | 68.86 | ||
| 2 | 3 | Janusz Sidło | POL | 79.98 | 72.78 | x | 79.98 | 79.70 | 75.79 | 73.50 | ||
| 3 | 1 | Viktor Tsybulenko | URS | 79.50 | 74.96 | 75.84 | 71.74 | 79.50 | 72.98 | 63.24 | ||
| 4 | 6 | Herbert Koschel | GER | 74.68 | 74.68 | 60.80 | 69.88 | 61.66 | x | 61.29 | ||
| 5 | 15 | Jan Kopyto | POL | 74.28 | 71.82 | 73.32 | 73.02 | 74.28 | 57.20 | 73.27 | ||
| 6 | 2 | Giovanni Lievore | ITA | 72.88 | 71.26 | 72.88 | 67.46 | 65.58 | 64.87 | 55.78 | ||
| 7 | 7 | Michel Macquet | FRA | 71.84 | 70.03 | 70.11 | 71.84 | – | – | – | ||
| 8 | 8 | Aleksandr Gorshkov | URS | 70.32 | x | x | 70.32 | – | – | – | ||
| 9 | 12 | Heiner Will | GER | 69.86 | 69.86 | 67.39 | x | – | – | – | ||
| 10 | 4 | Phil Conley | USA | 69.74 | 69.74 | 60.92 | 69.59 | – | – | – | ||
| 11 | 11 | Cy Young | USA | 68.64 | x | 66.32 | 68.64 | – | – | – | ||
| 12 | 14 | Vladimir Kuznetsov | URS | 67.14 | 65.65 | 62.80 | 67.14 | – | – | – | ||
| 13 | 10 | Sándor Krasznai | HUN | 66.33 | 66.33 | 60.03 | 59.78 | – | – | – | ||
| 14 | 9 | Muhammad Nawaz | PAK | 62.55 | 62.55 | 59.42 | 61.13 | – | – | – | ||
| 13 | Benny Garcia | USA | – | x | x | x | – | – | – |
