DAY 15 : THE SEOUL GAMES : Track and Field Roundup : Wilkins Loses Record and a Medal in the Discus

Jurgen Schult of East Germany broke Mac Wilkins’ Olympic discus record with his first throw. But the trouble was just beginning for the American veteran, as Romas Oubartas of the Soviet Union and Rolf Danneberg of West Germany also passed him for medals Saturday.

Wilkins, 6 weeks short of his 38th birthday and the oldest member of the U.S. track and field team, was in danger of not advancing past the first 3 throws when the field was cut from 12 to 8.

He was in 10th place after fouling on his second attempt, when he reached down for a throw of 213-8 that put him into fourth place.

His fifth throw of 216-2 pushed him into third place, but that lasted only until Danneberg uncorked his heave of 221-1 to jump from fifth place to second.

That put Wilkins back to fourth, with one last throw. His 206-7 fell short, and a moment later, he dropped to 5th when Oubartas’ last throw sailed 221-5 to win the silver and move Danneberg to the bronze.

The other American in the competition, Mike Buncic, fouled twice and did not advance past the first round.

Wilkins, who was second in the 1984 Games, came out of retirement to make his fourth consecutive Olympic team. He won the U.S. Olympic trials with a toss of 216-6 and qualified for the Olympic finals at 205-0.

In the women’s shotput, world record-holder Natalia Lisovskaya of the Soviet Union, dominating from the first throw, won the gold medal with a throw of 72-11 3/4.

Kathrin Neimke of East Germany won the silver medal with a throw of 69-1 1/2, and Li Meisu of China won the bronze at 691.

Lisovskaya’s winning throw was short of the 73-6 Olympic record and her own world record of 74-3.

The East German came up with her longest throw on her last throw to take the silver by a quarter-inch.

Bonnie Dasse of Costa Mesa was 12th at 57-8 3/4.