Javelin throw
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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.
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[edit] Competition and throws
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. If the throw lands flat then the distance is measured from the back of the ripcord. Also, if the tail of the Javelin lands first, then the throw is not counted and scratched. 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).
[edit] 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 4cm 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% and 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.
[edit] 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 believe 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.
[edit] Training techniques for javelin throw
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.
[edit] Best Year Performance
[edit] 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 | .png/22px-Flag_of_Hungary_(1957-1989).png){kind=small} 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 | 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 |
[edit] 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 | 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 |
[edit] Top Ten
[edit] Men's best throwers of all time (current 1986 model)
| 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 |
[edit] Women's best throwers of all time (current 1999 model)
| 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. | 69.15 | Barbora Špotáková (CZE) |
Zaragoza | 2008-05-31 |
| 5. | 67.67 | Sonia Bisset (CUB) |
Salamanca | 2005-07-06 |
| 6. | 67.41 | Miréla Manjani (GRE) |
Sydney | 2000-09-30 |
| 7. | 67.20 | Tatyana Shikolenko (RUS) |
Monaco | 2000-08-18 |
| 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 |
[edit] Notable javelin throwers
[edit] Women
- Petra Felke, East Germany
- Ruth Fuchs, East Germany
- Trine Hattestad, Norway
- Tiina Lillak, Finland
- Osleidys Menéndez, Cuba
- Tessa Sanderson, Great Britain
- Kate Schmidt, United States
- Fatima Whitbread, Great Britain
- Dana Zátopková, Czechoslovakia
- Babe Didrikson, United States
[edit] Men
- Steve Backley, Great Britain
- Patrik Bodén, Sweden
- Egil Danielsen, Norway
- Breaux Greer, USA
- 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
- Aki Parviainen, Finland
- Tom Petranoff, USA
- Tero Pitkämäki, Finland
- Tapio Rautavaara, Finland
- Seppo Räty, Finland
- Janusz Sidło, Poland
- Andreas Thorkildsen, Norway
- Andrus Värnik, Estonia
- Jan Železný, Czech Republic
- Vadims Vasiļevskis, Latvia
[edit] See also
[edit] References
- GBR statistics
- International Association of Athletics Federations (IAAF) – official site
- (IAAF Statement) – statement of reasons to modify the javelin design
- World Record progression in athletics
- World Masters Athletics - official site
- Masters T&F World Rankings
- Athletics all-time performances
- Year Rankings
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