Al Oerter was the first track and field athlete to win a gold medal in the same individual event in four consecutive Olympics, a feat which has subsequently been equaled by Carl Lewis and Ray Ewry. The American outlined his dominance by setting a new world record in the process of winning each of his gold medals, proving that he kept getting better.

That drive for continual improvement went on even after his initial retirement – in 1980 Oerter made a comeback at the age of 43 and again threw a personal best distance, but that was only good enough for fourth position at the American Olympic qualifiers. He carried the Olympic flag for the 1984 Summer Olympics, and carried the Olympic flame into the stadium for the 1996 Olympic Games.