Javelin throw

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, fibreglass and, in some cases, carbon fiber. Because of its potential danger, it is not always included in track and field meets.

Competition and throws

Rules are similar to other throwing events: Competitors take three throws or six when they are placed to the eighth position, their best legal throw is recorded and the winner is the individual with the longest legal throw measured to the nearest centimetre. The javelin's point must touch the ground first for the throw to be legal. 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 strength demonstrate athleticism more similar to running and jumping events. Thus, the athletes share more similar physical characteristics to those athletes rather than the bulky frames of the strength throwers. At release, a javelin can reach speeds approaching 70 mph (113 km/h).

Javelin redesigns

In 1986, 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.

History and the javelin at the 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. The objective there, however, was to throw at a target rather than for distance.

World records

The world record for men, at 98.48 meters, is held by Jan Železný from the Czech Republic, set at Jena, Germany, on May 25, 1996. The world record for women, at 71.70 meters, is held by Osleidys Menéndez from Cuba, set at Helsinki, Finland on August 14, 2005

Famous Javelin Throwers

Women

Men

Top Ten longest throwers of all time (current 1986 model)- men

(Updated June 2 2006)

Rank	Res.	Athlete	Nation	Born	Place	Date
1.	98.48	Jan Železný	CZE	June 16 1966	Jena	May 25 1996
2.	93.09	Aki Parviainen	FIN	October 26 1974	Kuortane	June 26 1999
3.	92.61	Sergey Makarov	RUS	March 19 1973	Sheffield	June 30 2002
4.	92.60	Raymond Hecht	GER	November 11 1968	Oslo	July 21 1995
5.	91.69	Konstadinós Gatsioúdis	GRE	December 17 1973	Kuortane	June 24 2000
6.	91.59	Andreas Thorkildsen	NOR	April 1 1982	Oslo	June 2 2006
7.	91.53	Tero Pitkämäki	FIN	December 19 1982	Kuortane	June 26 2005
8.	91.46	Steve Backley	GBR	February 12 1969	Auckland	January 25 1992
9.	90.60	Seppo Räty	FIN	April 27 1962	Nurmijärvi	July 20 1992
10.	90.44	Boris Henry	GER	December 14 1973	Linz	July 9 1997

Events in athletics

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