javelin

Javelin throw

The javelin throw is a track and field athletics throwing event where the object to be thrown is the javelin, a spear approximately 2.5 meters in length. Javelin is an event of both the men's decathlon and the women's heptathlon.

Rules and Competitions

The size, shape, minimum weight, and center of gravity of the javelin implement itself are all defined by IAAF rules. In international competition, men throw a javelin between 2.6 and 2.7 meters in length and (at least) 800 grams in weight, and women throw a javelin between 2.2 and 2.3 meters in length and (at least) 600 grams in weight. The javelin is equipped with a grip, approximately 150 mm wide, made of cord and located at the javelin's center of gravity (0.9 to 1.06 meters or 0.8 to 0.92 meters from the tip of the javelin for men's and women's implements, respectively).

Unlike the other throwing events (shotput, discus, and hammer), the technique used to throw the javelin is dictated by IAAF 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 such that his back faces the direction of throw. In practice, this prevents athletes from attempting to spin and hurl the javelin sidearm in the style of a discus throw. Instead of being confined to a circle, javelin throwers are provided with a runway 4 meters wide and at least 30 meters in length, ending in a curved arc from which their throw will be 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 (the runway) 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 "sector" covering an angle of 29 degrees extending outwards from the arc at the end of the runway. A throw is legal only if the tip of the javelin lands within this sector, and the tip strikes the ground before any other part of the javelin. 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 centimeter.

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 (over all rounds) is the winner; in the case of a tie the competitors' second-longest throws are also considered. Competitions involving large numbers of athletes sometimes use a "cut": all competitors compete in the first three rounds, but only athletes who are currently among the top eight or have achieved some minimum distance are permitted to attempt to improve on their distance in additional rounds (typically three).

Javelin redesigns

On April 1, 1986, the men's javelin (800g, 1.76lb) was redesigned by the governing body (the IAAF Technical Committee). They decided to change the rules for javelin construction 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 javelin was redesigned so that the centre of gravity was moved 4 cm forward, further away from the center of pressure (the point at which the aerodynamic forces of lift and drag act), so that the javelin had an increased downward pitching moment. This brings the nose down earlier, 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 (600g, 1.32lb) 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.

History and the javelin at the Olympics

The javelin throw has been part of the Summer Olympics since 1906. 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 people believe that the objective was to throw at a target rather than for distance, but this can not be determined.^{[citation needed]}

The javelin throw has a particularly strong tradition in the Nordic nations of Europe. Of the 66 Olympic medals that have been awarded in the event, 30 have gone to competitors from Norway, Sweden, or Finland. Finland is the only nation to have ever swept the medals, and has done so twice, in 1920 and 1932.

Technique and Training

Unlike other throwing events, javelin allows the competitor to build speed over a considerable distance. In addition to the core and upper body strength 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 other, 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. 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 can reach speeds approaching 113 km/h (70 mph).

Best year performance

Men's seasons best

YEAR	DISTANCE	ATHLETE	PLACE
1971	90.68	Jānis Lūsis (URS)	Helsinki
1972	93.80	Jānis Lūsis (URS)	Stockholm
1973	94.08	Klaus Wolfermann (FRG)	Leverkusen
1974	89.58	Hannu Siitonen (FIN)	Rome
1975	91.38	Miklós Németh (HUN)	Budapest
1976	94.58	Miklós Németh (HUN)	Montreal
1977	94.10	Miklós Németh (HUN)	Stockholm
1978	94.22	Michael Wessing (FRG)	Oslo
1979	93.84	Pentti Sinersaari (FIN)	Auckland
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	89.58	Steve Backley (GBR)	Stockholm
1991	89.16	Tom Petranoff (USA)	Potchefstroom
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 (WR)	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
2008	90.57 (OR)	Andreas Thorkildsen (NOR)	Beijing

Women's seasons best

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 (OR)	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
2008	72.28 (WR)	Barbora Špotáková (CZE)	Stuttgart

Top ten

Men's best throwers of all time (current 1986 model)

• (Updated June 16, 2009)

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

Women's best throwers of all time (current 1999 model)

• (Updated June 16, 2009)

RANK	MARK	ATHLETE	PLACE	DATE
1.	72.28	Barbora Špotáková (CZE)	Stuttgart	2008-09-13
2.	71.70	Osleidys Menéndez (CUB)	Helsinki	2005-08-14
3.	70.78	Mariya Abakumova (RUS)	Beijing	2008-08-21
4.	70.20	Christina Obergföll (GER)	Munich	2007-06-23
5.	69.48	Trine Hattestad (NOR)	Oslo	2000-07-28
6.	68.34	Steffi Nerius (GER)	Elstal	2008-08-31
7.	67.67	Sonia Bisset (CUB)	Salamanca	2005-07-06
8.	67.51	Miréla Manjani (GRE)	Sydney	2000-09-30
9.	67.20	Tatyana Shikolenko (RUS)	Monaco	2000-08-18
10.	66.91	Tanja Damaske (GER)	Erfurt	1999-07-04

Notable javelin throwers

Women

• Lillian Copeland, United States
• Babe Didrikson, United States
• Dorothy Dodson, United States
• Petra Felke, East Germany
• Ruth Fuchs, East Germany
• Trine Hattestad, Norway
• Tiina Lillak, Finland
• Mirela Manjani, Greece
• Osleidys Menéndez, Cuba
• Christina Obergföll, Germany
• Sofia Sakorafa, Greece
• Tessa Sanderson, Great Britain
• Kate Schmidt, United States
• Barbora Špotáková, Czech Republic
• Linda Stahl, Germany
• Fatima Whitbread, Great Britain
• Dana Zátopková, Czechoslovakia

Men

• Steve Backley, Great Britain
• Patrik Bodén, Sweden
• Al Cantello, United States
• Egil Danielsen, Norway
• Konstadinós Gatsioúdis, Greece
• Breaux Greer, United States
• Bud Held, United States
• Uwe Hohn, GDR
• Arto Härkönen, Finland
• Matti Järvinen, Finland
• Tapio Korjus, Finland
• Dainis Kūla, Soviet Union (Latvia)
• Gergely Kulcsár, Hungary
• Eric Lemming, Sweden
• Jānis Lūsis, Soviet Union (Latvia)
• Sergey Makarov, Russia
• Jonni Myyrä, Finland
• Miklós Németh, Hungary
• Yrjö Nikkanen, Finland
• Aki Parviainen, Finland
• Tom Petranoff, United States
• Tero Pitkämäki, Finland
• Tapio Rautavaara, Finland
• Seppo Räty, Finland
• Steve Seymour, United States
• Janusz Sidło, Poland
• Andreas Thorkildsen, Norway
• Andrus Värnik, Estonia
• Vadims Vasiļevskis, Latvia
• Cyrus Young, United States
• Jan Železný, Czech Republic

10th IAAF World Championships in Athletics commemorative coin

See also

• National champions Javelin (men)

• 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.

External links

Wikimedia Commons has media related to: Javelin throw

The following sites contain more information and statistics for Javelin throwing as well as for other track and field sports:

• (IAAF Statement) – statement of reasons to modify the javelin design
• World Record progression in athletics men
• World Record progression in athletics women
• Masters World Rankings
• IAAF competition rules
• Javelin History