Javelin throw


The javelin throw is a track and field event where the javelin, a spear about in length, is thrown as far as possible. The javelin thrower gains momentum by running within a predetermined area. Javelin throwing is an event of both the men's decathlon and the women's heptathlon.

History

The javelin throw was added to the Ancient Olympic Games as part of the pentathlon in 708 BC. It included two events, one for distance and the other for accuracy in hitting a target. The javelin was thrown with the aid of a thong that was wound around the middle of the shaft. Athletes held the javelin by the ankyle, a leather strap around the shaft, so when they released the javelin, the unwinding of the thong gave the javelin a spiral trajectory.
Throwing javelin-like poles into targets was revived in Germany and Sweden in the early 1870s. In Sweden, these poles developed into the modern javelin, and throwing them for distance became a common event there and in Finland in the 1880s. The rules continued to evolve over the next decades; originally, javelins were thrown with no run-up, and holding them by the grip at the center of gravity was not always mandatory. Limited run-ups were introduced in the late 1890s, and soon developed into the modern unlimited run-up.
Sweden's Eric Lemming, who threw his first world best in 1899 and ruled the event from 1902 to 1912, was the first dominant javelin thrower. When the men's javelin was introduced as an Olympic discipline at the 1906 Intercalated Games, Lemming won by almost nine metres and broke his own world record; Sweden swept the first four places, as Finland's best throwers were absent and the event had yet to become popular in any other country. Though challenged by younger talents, Lemming repeated as Olympic champion in 1908 and 1912; his eventual best mark was the first javelin world record to be officially ratified by the International Association of Athletics Federations.
File:Julius Saaristo 1912b.jpg|thumb|upright=.6|Julius Saaristo in 1912 Summer Olympics
In the late 19th and early 20th century, most javelin competitions were two-handed; the implement was thrown with the right hand and separately with the left hand, and the best marks for each hand were added together. Competitions for the better hand only were less common, though not unknown. At the Olympics, a both-hands contest was held only once, in Athletics at the [1912 Summer Olympics – Men's two handed javelin throw|1912]; Finland swept the medals, ahead of Lemming. After that, this version of the javelin rapidly faded into obscurity, together with similar variations of the shot and the discus; Sweden's Yngve Häckner, with his total of 114.28 m from 1917, was the last official both-hands world record holder.
Another early variant was the freestyle javelin, in which holding the javelin by the grip at the center of gravity was not mandatory; such a Athletics at the [1908 Summer Olympics – Men's freestyle javelin throw|freestyle competition] was held at the 1908 Olympics, but it was dropped from the program after that. Hungary's Mór Kóczán used a freestyle end grip to break the 60-metre barrier in 1911, a year before Lemming and Julius Saaristo first did so with a regular grip.
The first known women's javelin marks were recorded in Finland in 1909. Originally, women threw the same implement as men; a lighter, shorter javelin for women was introduced in the 1920s. Women's javelin throw was added to the Olympic program in 1932; Mildred "Babe" Didrikson of the United States became the first champion.
For a long time, javelins were made of solid wood, typically birch, with a steel tip. The hollow, highly aerodynamic Held javelin, invented by American thrower Bud Held and developed and manufactured by his brother Dick, was introduced in the 1950s; the first Held javelins were also wooden with steel tips, but later models were made entirely of metal. These new javelins flew further, but were also less likely to land neatly point first; as a response to the increasingly frequent flat or ambiguously flat landings, experiments with modified javelins started in the early 1980s. The resulting designs, which made flat landings much less common and reduced the distances thrown, became official for men starting in April 1986 and for women in April 1999, and the world records were reset. The current men's world record is held by Jan Železný at 98.48 m ; Barbora Špotáková holds the women's world record at 72.28 m.
Of the 69 Olympic medals that have been awarded in the men's javelin, 32 have gone to competitors from Norway, Sweden or Finland. Finland is the only nation to have swept the medals at a currently recognized official Olympics, and has done so twice, in 1920 and 1932, in addition to its 1912 sweep in the two-handed javelin; in 1920 Finland swept the first four places, which is no longer possible as only three entrants per country are allowed. Finland has, however, never been nearly as successful in the women's javelin.
The javelin throw has been part of the decathlon since the decathlon was introduced in the early 1910s; the all-around, an earlier ten-event contest of American origin, did not include the javelin throw. The javelin was also part of some of the many early forms of women's pentathlon and has always been included in the heptathlon after it replaced the pentathlon in 1981.

Rules and competitions

The size, shape, minimum weight, and center of gravity of the javelin are all defined by World Athletics rules. In international competition, men throw a javelin between in length and in weight, and women throw a javelin between in length and in weight. The javelin has a grip, about wide, made of cord and located at the javelin's center of gravity from the javelin tip for the men's javelin and from the javelin tip for the women's javelin.
Unlike the other throwing events, the technique used to throw the javelin is dictated by World Athletics rules and "non-orthodox" techniques are not permitted. The javelin must be held at its grip and thrown overhand, over the athlete's shoulder or upper arm. Further, the athlete is prohibited from turning completely around or starting with their back facing the direction of the throw. This prevents athletes from attempting to spin and hurl the javelin sidearm in the style of a discus throw. This rule was put in place when a group of athletes began experimenting with a spin technique referred to as "free style". On 24 October 1956, Pentti Saarikoski threw using the technique holding the end of the javelin. Officials were so afraid of the out of control nature of the technique that the practice was banned through these rule specifications.
Instead of being confined to a circle, javelin throwers have a runway wide and at least in length, ending in an radius throwing arc from which their throw is measured; athletes typically use this distance to gain momentum in a "run-up" to their throw. Like the other throwing events, the competitor may not leave the throwing area until after the implement lands. The need to come to a stop behind the throwing arc limits both how close the athlete can come to the line before the release as well as the maximum speed achieved at the time of release.
The javelin is thrown towards a 28.96º circular sector that is centered on the center point of the throwing arc. The angle of the throwing sector provides sector boundaries that are easy to construct and lay out on a field. A throw is only legal if the tip of the javelin lands within this sector, and is the first part of the javelin to strike the ground. The distance of the throw is measured from the throwing arc to the point where the tip of the javelin landed, rounded down to the nearest centimetre.
Competition rules are similar to other throwing events: a round consists of one attempt by each competitor in turn, and competitions typically consist of three to six rounds. The competitor with the longest single legal throw is the winner; in case of a tie, the competitors' second-longest throws are also considered. Competitions involving large numbers of athletes sometimes use a cut whereby all competitors compete in the first three rounds but only those who are currently among the top eight or have achieved some minimum distances are permitted to attempt to improve on their distance in additional rounds.
The javelin is almost always thrown outdoors, though it is rarely thrown indoors. The world record for men's indoor javelin throw is by Matti Närhi in 1996.

Javelin redesigns

On 1 April 1986, the men's javelin was redesigned by the governing body. They decided to change the rules for javelin design because of the increasingly frequent flat landings and the resulting discussions and protests when these attempts were declared valid or invalid by competition judges. The world record had also crept up to a potentially dangerous level, by Uwe Hohn. With throws exceeding 100 metres, it was becoming difficult to safely stage the competition within the confines of a stadium infield. The javelin was redesigned so that the centre of gravity was moved forward. In addition, the surface area in front of centre of gravity was reduced, while the surface area behind the centre of gravity was increased. This had an effect similar to that produced by the feathers on an arrow. The javelin turns into the relative wind. This relative wind appears to originate from the ground as the javelin descends, thus the javelin turns to face the ground. As the javelin turns into the wind less lift is generated, reducing the flight distance by around 10% but also causing the javelin to stick in the ground more consistently. In 1999, the women's javelin was similarly redesigned.
Modifications that manufacturers made to recover some of the lost distance, by increasing tail drag, were forbidden at the end of 1991 and performances made using implements with such modifications removed from the record books. Seppo Räty had achieved a world record of in 1991 with such a design, but this record was nullified.

Weight rules by age group

The weight of the javelin in the Under-20 category is the same as the senior level.

Technique and training

Unlike other throwing events, javelin allows the competitor to build speed over a considerable distance. In addition, the core and upper body strength is necessary to deliver the implement, javelin throwers benefit from the agility and athleticism typically associated with running and jumping events. Thus, the athletes share more physical characteristics with sprinters than with others, although they still need the skill of heavier throwing athletes.
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. Without proper strength and flexibility, throwers can become extremely injury prone, especially in the shoulder and elbow. 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 speed of the javelin. At release, a javelin must reach speeds approaching 113 km/h.
The javelin throw consists of three separate phases: the run-up, the transition, and the delivery. During each phase, the position of the javelin changes while the thrower changes his or her muscle recruitment. In the run-up phase as Luann Voza said, "your arm is bent and kept close to your head, keeping the javelin in alignment with little to no arm movement". This allows the thrower's bicep to contract, flexing the elbow. In order for the javelin to stay up high, the thrower's deltoid flexes. In the transition phase, the thrower's "back muscles contract" as "the javelin is brought back in alignment with the shoulder with the thrower's palm up". This, according to Voza, "stretches your pectoral, or chest, muscles. From there, a stretch reflex, an involuntary contraction of your chest, helps bring your throwing arm forward with increased force". During the final phase, the rotation of the shoulders initiates the release, which then "transfers movement through the triceps muscles, wrists and fingers to extend the throwing arm forward to release the javelin".

Culture

In 1994, Michael Torke composed Javelin, commissioned by the Atlanta Committee for the Olympic Games in celebration of the Atlanta Symphony Orchestra's 50th anniversary season, in conjunction with the 1996 Summer Olympics.
Javelin throwers have been selected as a main motif in numerous collectors' coins. One of the recent samples is the €5 Finnish 10th IAAF World Championships in Athletics commemorative coin, minted in 2005 to commemorate the 2005 [World Championships in Athletics]. On the obverse of the coin, a javelin thrower is depicted. On the reverse, legs of hurdle runners with the Helsinki Olympic Stadium tower in the background can be seen.

All-time top 25 (current models)

Men

  • Correct as of August 2025.
MarkAthleteNationDatePlace
11Jan Železný25 May 1996Jena
22Johannes Vetter6 September 2020Chorzów
3Vetter #229 May 2021Chorzów
4Železný #229 August 1993Sheffield
5 Železný #36 April 1993Pietersburg
6Železný #431 May 1996Ostrava
7Vetter #311 July 2017Luzern
8Vetter #419 May 2021Ostrava
9Železný #526 March 1997Stellenbosch
310Thomas Röhler5 May 2017Doha
11Vetter #518 August 2017Thum
12Vetter #626 June 2021Kuortane
13Vetter #721 May 2021Dessau
414Aki Parviainen26 June 1999Kuortane
515Anderson Peters13 May 2022Doha
616Arshad Nadeem8 August 2024Saint-Denis
17Železný #612 August 2001Edmonton
718Julius Yego26 August 2015Beijing
19Vetter #811 March 2018Leiria
820Sergey Makarov30 June 2002Sheffield
921Raymond Hecht14 August 1996Zurich
22Železný #728 May 1997Ostrava
23Parviainen #224 June 2001Vaasa
24Železný #89 September 1995Monaco
24Hecht #214 August 1996Zurich
10Andreas Hofmann2 June 2018Offenburg
11Konstadinós Gatsioúdis24 June 2000Kuortane
12Andreas Thorkildsen2 June 2006Oslo
13Tero Pitkämäki26 June 2005Kuortane
14Julian Weber28 August 2025Zurich
15Steve Backley25 January 1992Auckland
16Cheng Chao-tsun26 August 2017Taipei
17Breaux Greer21 June 2007Indianapolis
18Luiz Maurício da Silva3 August 2025São Paulo
19Jakub Vadlejch13 May 2022Doha
20Kimmo Kinnunen26 August 1991Tokyo
21Vadims Vasiļevskis22 July 2007Tallinn
22Magnus Kirt22 June 2019Kuortane
23Seppo Räty20 July 1992Nurmijärvi
24Boris Henry9 July 1997Linz
25Neeraj Chopra16 May 2025Doha

Women

  • Correct as of September 2025.
MarkAthleteNationDatePlace
11Barbora Špotáková13 September 2008Stuttgart
22Osleidys Menéndez14 August 2005Helsinki
3Špotáková #22 September 2011Daegu
4Menéndez #21 July 2001Rethymno
5Menéndez #327 August 2004Athens
6Špotáková #321 August 2008Beijing
37Maria Andrejczyk9 May 2021Split
48Mariya Abakumova1 September 2013Berlin
59Christina Obergföll23 June 2007Munich
10Obergföll #214 August 2005Helsinki
11Menéndez #429 August 2001Beijing
12Obergföll #331 August 2008Elstal
13Abakumova #225 August 2013Elstal
14Obergföll #48 September 2011Zurich
15Špotáková #49 August 2012London
16Menéndez #56 August 2001Edmonton
617Trine Hattestad28 July 2000Oslo
18Špotáková #522 July 2011Monaco
719Sunette Viljoen9 June 2012New York City
20Abakumova #316 March 2013Castellón
821Christin Hussong30 May 2021Chorzów
22Špotáková #631 May 2008Zaragoza
23Abakumova #416 August 2013Moscow
24Obergföll #518 August 2013Moscow
25Abakumova #529 August 2013Zurich
9Kathryn Mitchell11 April 2018Gold Coast
10Sara Kolak6 July 2017Lausanne
11Steffi Nerius31 August 2008Elstal
12Kara Winger2 September 2022Brussels
13Lü Huihui2 August 2019Shenyang
14Victoria Hudson28 June 2025Maribor
15Kelsey-Lee Barber9 July 2019Lucerne
16Katharina Molitor30 August 2015Beijing
17Sonia Bisset6 July 2005Salamanca
18Mirela Manjani30 September 2000Sydney
19Tatsiana Khaladovich7 June 2018Oslo
20Nikola Ogrodníková26 May 2019Offenburg
20Maggie Malone17 July 2021East Stroudsburg
22Haruka Kitaguchi8 September 2023Brussels
23Linda Stahl14 June 2014New York City
24Vera Rebrik19 February 2016Sochi
25Hanna Hatsko-Fedusova26 July 2014Kirovohrad
25Liu Shiying15 September 2020Shaoxing

Annulled marks

  • In 2011, Mariya Abakumova threw 71.99 metres. This performance was annulled due to doping offences.

    All-time top 5 (dimpled models 1990–1991)

Marks set using dimpled rough-tailed javelins manufactured by several companies were nullified effective 20 September 1991.
RankMarkAthleteDatePlaceRef
196.96Seppo Räty.png" />Seppo Räty|FIN

All-time top 15 (old models)

Men

Women

RankMarkAthleteDatePlaceRef
180.00Petra Felke|GDR

Olympic medalists

Men

Women

World Championships medalists

Men

Women

Season's bests

Men

A new model was introduced in 1986, and all records started fresh.
YearMarkAthletePlace
198685.74Klaus Tafelmeier.png" />Klaus Tafelmeier|FRG

Women

A new model was introduced in 1999 and all records started fresh.
YearMarkAthletePlace
199968.19Trine Hattestad.png" />Trine Hattestad|NOR