View source for Jay Silvester

{{short description|American discus thrower}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=November 2015}}
{{Infobox sportsperson
| name             = Jay Silvester
| image            = Jay Silvester.jpg
| caption          = Silvester in 1970
| full_name        = L. Jay Silvester
| birth_date       = {{birth-date and age|August 27, 1937}}
| birth_place      = [[Tremonton, Utah]], U.S.
| death_date       = 
| death_place      = 
| height           = {{convert|1.91|m|ftin|abbr=on|order=flip}}
| weight           = {{convert|114|kg|lb|abbr=on|order=flip}}
| sport            = Discus throw
| club             = Santa Clara Valley Youth Village
| headercolor      = lightsteelblue
| show-medals      = yes
| medaltemplates   = 
{{MedalSport | Men's [[athletics (sport)|athletics]] }}
{{MedalCountry | the {{USA}} }}
{{MedalCompetition | [[Olympic Games]] }}
{{MedalSilver | [[1972 Summer Olympics|1972 Munich]] | [[Athletics at the 1972 Summer Olympics|Discus throw]] }}
}}

'''L. Jay Silvester''' (born August 27, 1937) and participated in college athletics at [[Utah State University]] from 1956 to 1959<ref>{{cite web |title=L. Jay Silvester (1993) - Hall of Fame - Utah State University Athletics |url=https://utahstateaggies.com/honors/hall-of-fame/l-jay-silvester/120 |website=Utah State Aggies |access-date=25 March 2021}}</ref> is an [[Americans|American]] retired athlete who mainly competed in the [[discus throw]]. In this event he finished in [[Athletics at the 1964 Summer Olympics – Men's discus throw|fourth]], [[Athletics at the 1968 Summer Olympics – Men's discus throw|fifth]], [[Athletics at the 1972 Summer Olympics – Men's discus throw|second]] and [[Athletics at the 1976 Summer Olympics – Men's discus throw|eighth]] place at the [[1964 Summer Olympics|1964]], [[1968 Summer Olympics|1968]], [[1972 Summer Olympics|1972]] and [[1976 Summer Olympics]], respectively, and won a bronze medal at the [[1975 Pan American Games]].

During his career, Silvester won five [[Association of American Universities|AAU]] discus titles and set four [[Men's discus throw world record progression|world records]], two in 1961 (60.56 m and 60.72 m) and two in 1968 (66.54 m and 68.40 m). His personal bests were 70.38 m in the discus (1971, unofficial world record) and 20.01 m in the [[shot put]]. Silvester also won the British [[AAA Championships]] titles in the discus and shot put events at the [[1962 AAA Championships]].<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.nuts.org.uk/Champs/AAA/index.htm |title=AAA, WAAA and National Championships Medallists |website=National Union of Track Statisticians |access-date=5 May 2025}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.gbrathletics.com/bc/aaa.htm |title=AAA Championships (men) |website=GBR Athletics |access-date=5 May 2025}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk/viewer/bl/0000560/19620714/171/0018 |title=White City Results - First Day |work=Daily Mirror |date=14 July 1962 |via=British Newspaper Archive|url-access=subscription |access-date=5 May 2025}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk/viewer/bl/0001723/19620715/016/0016 |title=Tulloch the Triumphant |work=Sunday Sun (Newcastle) |date=15 July 1962 |via=British Newspaper Archive|url-access=subscription |access-date=5 May 2025}}</ref>

After retirement, he worked as professor of physical education at [[Brigham Young University]].<ref name=r1 />

Silvester held the M35 Masters American Records for the Shot Put and Discus Throw, and is the current holder of the
M70 Masters American Records for the Discus Throw.  Silvester won gold medals for the M45 Discus Throw at the 1983
and 1984 Masters National Outdoor Championships.<ref>masters history Jan 28, 2023.[https://mastershistory.org/olympians/] Retrieved Jan 28, 2023</ref>

==Personal life==
Silvester is a member of [[the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints]],<ref name="LDSOlympiansIn1999-2000ChurchAlmanac">{{cite book |date=1998 |title=Deseret News 1999-2000 Church Almanac |publisher=[[Deseret News]] |page=555 |location=Salt Lake City, UT |isbn=1573454915 }}</ref> and he was their first member to participate in 4 Olympic Games.<ref name="OlympicNotebook1988">{{cite web |author=Church News Archives |date=29 Jul 1988 |title=Olympic notebook |url=https://www.thechurchnews.com/1988/7/30/23263754/olympic-notebook-2 |website=www.thechurchnews.com |access-date=28 Sep 2023 }}</ref>

==References==
{{Reflist|refs=
<ref name=r1>{{cite Sports-Reference|url=https://www.sports-reference.com/olympics/athletes/si/jay-silvester-1.html |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130922132514/http://www.sports-reference.com/olympics/athletes/si/jay-silvester-1.html |archive-date=September 22, 2013 |quote=Full name: L. Jay Silvester}}</ref>
}}

==External links==
* {{Olympics.com profile|l-jay-silvester|L. Jay Silvester}}
* {{Olympedia}}
* {{USATF Hall of Fame|id=154}}

{{s-start}}
{{s-ach|rec}}
{{Succession box
| before = {{flagicon|USA}} [[Rink Babka]]
| title = [[Discus throw#Men 2|Men's Discus World Record Holder]]
| years = August 11, 1961 – May 18, 1962
| after = {{flagicon|USA}} [[Al Oerter]]
}}
{{Succession box
| before = {{flagicon|TCH}} [[Ludvík Daněk]]
| title = [[Discus throw#Men 2|Men's Discus World Record Holder]]<br /><small>equalled by {{flagicon|SWE}} [[Ricky Bruch]] on 1972-07-05</small>
| years = May 25, 1968 – March 14, 1975
| after = {{flagicon|RSA|1928}} [[John van Reenen]]
}}
{{s-end}}

{{Footer Australia NC Shot Men}}
{{Footer Australia NC Discus Men}}
{{Footer British NC Discus Men}}
{{Footer British NC Shot Put Men}}
{{Footer US NC Discus Men}}
{{Footer USA Track & Field 1964 Summer Olympics}}
{{Footer USA Track & Field 1968 Summer Olympics}}
{{Footer USA Track & Field 1972 Summer Olympics}}
{{Footer USA Track & Field 1976 Summer Olympics}}
{{Footer USA Track & Field 2000 Summer Olympics}}
{{Authority control}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Silvester, Jay}}
[[Category:1937 births]]
[[Category:Living people]]
[[Category:American male discus throwers]]
[[Category:Athletes (track and field) at the 1964 Summer Olympics]]
[[Category:Athletes (track and field) at the 1968 Summer Olympics]]
[[Category:Athletes (track and field) at the 1972 Summer Olympics]]
[[Category:Athletes (track and field) at the 1976 Summer Olympics]]
[[Category:Medalists at the 1972 Summer Olympics]]
[[Category:Olympic silver medalists for the United States in track and field]]
[[Category:People from Tremonton, Utah]]
[[Category:Sportspeople from Box Elder County, Utah]]
[[Category:Track and field athletes from Utah]]
[[Category:World record setters in athletics (track and field)]]
[[Category:American masters athletes]]
[[Category:Utah State University alumni]]
[[Category:Athletes (track and field) at the 1975 Pan American Games]]
[[Category:Medalists at the 1975 Pan American Games]]
[[Category:Pan American Games bronze medalists for the United States in athletics (track and field)]]
[[Category:Latter Day Saints from Utah]]
[[Category:Australian Athletics Championships winners]]
[[Category:20th-century American sportsmen]]


{{US-athletics-Olympic-medalist-stub}}