An athlete throwing the javelin.
The javelin throw is a track and field athletics 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.
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 whipcord (grip). 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).
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% 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.
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.
Training techniques
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.
Best year performance
Men's seasons best
A new model was introduced in 1986, and all records started fresh.
Women's seasons best
A new model was introduced in 1999 and all records started fresh.
Top ten
Men's best throwers of all time (current 1986 model)
Women's best throwers of all time (current 1999 model)
Notable javelin throwers
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
- Linda Stahl, Germany
- Fatima Whitbread, Great Britain
- Dana Zátopková, Czechoslovakia
- Babe Didrikson, United States
- Mirela Manjani, Greece
- Sofia Sakorafa, Greece
Men
- Steve Backley, Great Britain
- Patrik Bodén, Sweden
- Egil Danielsen, Norway
- Konstadinós Gatsioúdis , Greece
- 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
- Vadims Vasiļevskis, Latvia
- Jan Železný, Czech Republic
See also
References
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Jānis Lūsis (URS)
Klaus Wolfermann (FRG)
Hannu Siitonen (FIN).png){kind=small}
Miklós Németh (HUN)
Detlef Michel (GDR)
Bob Roggy (USA)
Jan Železný (TCH)
Kazuhiro Mizoguchi (JPN)
Steve Backley (GBR)
Jan Železný (CZE)
Konstadinós Gatsioúdis (GRE)
Sergey Makarov (RUS)
Andreas Thorkildsen (NOR)
Antoaneta Todorova (BUL)
Natalya Shikolenko (BLR)
Osleidys Menéndez (CUB)
Vadims Vasiļevskis (LAT)