Javelin throw

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An athlete throwing the javelin.

The javelin throw is an athletics (track and field) throwing event where the object to be thrown is the javelin, a spear-like object made of metal, fiberglass and, in some cases, carbon fiber.

1 Competition and throws
2 Javelin redesigns
3 History and the javelin at the Olympics
4 Training techniques for javelin throw
5 World records
6 Best Year Performance
- 6.1 Men's Seasons Best
- 6.2 Women's Seasons Best
7 Top Ten
- 7.1 Men's best throwers of all time (current 1986 model)
- 7.2 Women's best throwers of all time (current 1999 model)
8 Notable javelin throwers
- 8.1 Women
- 8.2 Men
9 See also
10 References

Rules are similar to other throwing events: Competitors take three throws after which the top eight take another three, their best legal throw is recorded and the winner is the individual with the longest legal throw measured to the nearest centimetre or foot and inch depending on country of competition. If the javelin's point touches the ground first, the throw is marked (measured) from this point. However, if the throw lands flat on the ground, the throw is marked as a foul throw. The most noticeable difference with the other events is that rather than a throwing circle as used in discus, shot put and hammer throw, the competitors have a run-up area coated with the same surface used for running tracks, and a painted line on the surface for small spikes on each shoe. Many athletic tracks have javelin run-ups at each end to take advantage of any potential wind benefit.

Javelin throwers gain considerable forward velocity in their run-up to their throws, and as well as upper body strength demonstrate athleticism more similar to running and jumping events. Thus, the athletes share more physical characteristics with sprinters than other throwing athletes with their bulky frames. At release, a javelin can reach speeds approaching 113 km/h (70 mph).

In 1984, the men's javelin (800 g) was redesigned because of the prodigious distances being thrown culminating in a world record throw of 104.80 m by the then East German thrower, Uwe Hohn. The javelin throw was in danger of being banished to outside the arena on safety grounds so the javelin was redesigned so that the centre of gravity was moved further away from the centre of pressure (the point at which the aerodynamic forces of lift and drag act) so that the javelin had a downward pitching moment. This brings the nose down earlier, reducing the flight distance by around 10% and also causing the javelin to stick in. In 1999, the women's javelin (600g) was similarly redesigned.

Modifications that manufacturers made to recover some of the lost distance, by increasing tail drag (using holes, rough paint or dimples), were outlawed at the end of 1991 and marks made using implements with such modifications removed from the record books.

Matti Järvinen throwing the javelin at the 1932 Summer Olympics.

The javelin throw has been part of the Summer Olympics since 1908. Although the javelin is currently used only for sport in most areas, it has a long history of use for hunting and warfare. There are, for instance, numerous references to the javelin in ancient Hellenic civilization, who practised a form of javelin throwing at the ancient Olympics. Some believe the objective was to throw at a target rather than for distance, but this can not be determined.^{[citation needed]}

Traditional free-weight training is often used by javelin throwers. Metal-rod exercises and resistance band exercises can be used to train a similar action to the javelin throw to increase power and intensity. Core stability can help in the transference of physical power and force from the ground through the body to the javelin. Stretching and sprint training are used to enhance the speed of the athlete at the point of release and subsequently the javelin.

The world record for men, at 98.48 meters (323 feet), is held by Jan Železný from the Czech Republic, set at Jena, Germany, on 25 May 1996. The world record for women, at 71.7 meters (235 feet), is held by Osleidys Menéndez from Cuba, set at Helsinki, Finland on 4 August 2005. For older model of javelin record is held by Uwe Hohn from East Germany at 104.8 meters (344 feet) on 20 July 1984, for men and by Petra Felke from East Germany at 80 meters (262 feet) on September 9, 1988.

YEAR	DISTANCE	ATHLETE	PLACE
1980	96.72	Ferenc Paragi (HUN)	Tata
1981	92.48	Detlef Michel (GDR)	Berlin
1982	95.80	Bob Roggy (USA)	Stuttgart
1983	99.72	Tom Petranoff (USA)	Westwood
1984	104.80	Uwe Hohn (GDR)	Berlin
1985	96.96	Uwe Hohn (GDR)	Canberra

A new model was introduced in 1986, and all records started fresh.

YEAR	DISTANCE	ATHLETE	PLACE
1986	85.74	Klaus Tafelmeier (FRG)	Como
1987	87.66	Jan Železný (TCH)	Nitra
1988	86.88	Jan Železný (TCH)	Leverkusen
1989	87.60	Kazuhiro Mizoguchi (JPN)	San José
1990	90.98	Steve Backley (GBR)	London
1991	96.96	Seppo Räty (FIN)	Punkalaidun
1992	91.46	Steve Backley (GBR)	Auckland
1993	95.66	Jan Železný (CZE)	Sheffield
1994	91.82	Jan Železný (CZE)	Sheffield
1995	92.60	Raymond Hecht (GER)	Oslo
1996	98.48	Jan Železný (CZE)	Jena
1997	94.02	Jan Železný (CZE)	Stellenbosch
1998	90.88	Aki Parviainen (FIN)	Tartu
1999	93.09	Aki Parviainen (FIN)	Kuortane
2000	91.69	Konstadinós Gatsioúdis (GRE)	Kuortane
2001	92.80	Jan Železný (CZE)	Edmonton
2002	92.61	Sergey Makarov (RUS)	Sheffield
2003	90.11	Sergey Makarov (RUS)	Dessau
2004	87.73	Aleksandr Ivanov (RUS)	Ostrava
2005	91.53	Tero Pitkämäki (FIN)	Kuortane
2006	91.59	Andreas Thorkildsen (NOR)	Oslo
2007	91.29	Breaux Greer (USA)	Indianapolis

YEAR	DISTANCE	ATHLETE	PLACE
1980	70.08	Tatyana Biryulina (URS)	Podolsk
1981	71.88	Antoaneta Todorova (BUL)	Zagreb
1982	74.20	Sofia Sakorafa (GRE)	Hania
1983	74.76	Tiina Lillak (FIN)	Tampere
1984	74.72	Petra Felke (GDR)	Celje
1985	75.40	Petra Felke (GDR)	Schwerin
1986	77.44	Fatima Whitbread (GBR)	Stuttgart
1987	78.90	Petra Felke (GDR)	Leipzig
1988	80.00	Petra Felke (GDR)	Potsdam
1989	76.88	Petra Felke (GDR)	Macerata
1990	73.08	Petra Felke (GER)	Manaus
1991	71.44	Trine Hattestad (NOR)	Fana
1992	70.36	Natalya Shikolenko (BLR)	Moscow
1993	72.12	Trine Hattestad (NOR)	Oslo
1994	71.40	Natalya Shikolenko (BLR)	Seville
1995	71.18	Natalya Shikolenko (BLR)	Zürich
1996	69.42	Steffi Nerius (GER)	Monaco
1997	69.66	Trine Hattestad (NOR)	Helsinki
1998	70.10	Tanja Damaske (GER)	Berlin

A new model was introduced in 1999 and all records started fresh.

YEAR	DISTANCE	ATHLETE	PLACE
1999	68.19	Trine Hattestad (NOR)	Fana
2000	69.48	Trine Hattestad (NOR)	Oslo
2001	71.54	Osleidys Menéndez (CUB)	Rethymno
2002	67.47	Miréla Manjani (GRE)	Munich
2003	66.52	Miréla Manjani (GRE)	Paris
2004	71.53	Osleidys Menéndez (CUB)	Athens
2005	71.70	Osleidys Menéndez (CUB)	Helsinki
2006	66.91	Christina Obergföll (GER)	Athens
2007	70.20	Christina Obergföll (GER)	Munich

(Updated 22 July 2007)

RANK	MARK	ATHLETE	PLACE	DATE
1.	98.48	Jan Železný (CZE)	Jena	1996-05-25
2.	93.09	Aki Parviainen (FIN)	Kuortane	1999-06-26
3.	92.61	Sergey Makarov (RUS)	Sheffield	2002-06-30
4.	92.60	Raymond Hecht (GER)	Oslo	1995-07-21
5.	91.69	Konstadinós Gatsioúdis (GRE)	Kuortane	2000-06-24
6.	91.59	Andreas Thorkildsen (NOR)	Oslo	2006-06-02
7.	91.53	Tero Pitkämäki (FIN)	Kuortane	2005-06-26
8.	91.46	Steve Backley (GBR)	Auckland	1992-01-25
9.	91.29	Breaux Greer (USA)	Indianapolis	2007-06-21
10.	90.73	Vadims Vasiļevskis (LAT)	Tallinn	2007-07-22

(Updated 2007-08-31)

RANK	MARK	ATHLETE	PLACE	DATE
1.	71.70	Osleidys Menéndez (CUB)	Helsinki	2005-08-14
2.	70.20	Christina Obergföll (GER)	Munich	2007-06-23
3.	69.48	Trine Hattestad (NOR)	Oslo	2000-07-28
4.	67.67	Sonia Bisset (CUB)	Salamanca	2005-07-06
5.	67.51	Miréla Manjani (GRE)	Sydney	2000-09-30
6.	67.20	Tatyana Shikolenko (BLR)	Monaco	2000-08-18
7.	67.07	Barbora Špotáková (CZE)	Osaka	2007-08-31
8.	66.91	Tanja Damaske (GER)	Erfurt	1999-07-04
9.	66.80	Louise Currey (AUS)	Runaway Bay	2000-08-05
10.	66.52	Steffi Nerius (GER)	Helsinki	2005-08-12