Javelin
In track and field, javelin throwing is both a men’s and women’s specialty in which the athlete tries to throw the javelin, a tapered instrument made of metal and fiberglass, as far as possible.
Javelin throwing is a discipline that has its roots in ancient Greece, dating as far back as 708 BC. Years when the Greeks considered it not only a sport, but also an art form in which athletes could display their strength.
This discipline requires a combination of strength, speed and technique: athletes must perfect their running stride, body rotation and javelin release to achieve maximum throwing distance.
During competitions, athletes must not turn their backs to the drop zone at any stage of the approach and throw. By regulation, the javelin must be released above the shoulder or upper part of the throwing arm.
For a record to be homologated, the javelin must meet the specifications set by World Athletics: the men’s javelin must weigh at least 800 grams and be 2.6-2.7 meters long, while the women’s javelin must weigh 600 grams and be 2.2-2.3 meters long.
In the past, wooden javelins were used, while those currently used during competitions are made of fiberglass and the metal. Materials that help maximize distance.
Czech athlete Jan Železný is considered the best javelin thrower in history. He achieved a hat trick of Olympic titles from 1992 to 2000 and set the world record of 98.48 meters in 1996.
Her compatriot Barbora Spotakova is among the leading javelin throwers in history, won consecutive Olympic titles in 2008 and 2012, and is the women’s world record holder with the best throw at 72.28 meters.
Security: also following the previous world record of 104.80 meters set by Uwe Hohn of East Germany in 1984, the men’s javelin was redesigned for safety reasons. Its center of gravity, since 1986, has been moved forward 4 centimeters to prevent it from overshooting the available drop zone in stadiums.
Penalties: it is forbidden to touch with any part of the body the outside of the platform, where the athletes are positioned, or its upper edge. When this happens, athletes can be disqualified. To mark the validity or otherwise of the throw, a red or white flag is waved.
Characteristics: the javelin is the only throwing specialty where a run-up is involved. In fact, the action is performed not on a circular platform but on a “run-up platform,” which must be at least 30 meters long and 4 meters wide.
In track and field, javelin throwing is both a men’s and women’s specialty in which the athlete tries to throw the javelin, a tapered instrument made of metal and fiberglass, as far as possible.
Javelin throwing is a discipline that has its roots in ancient Greece, dating as far back as 708 BC. Years when the Greeks considered it not only a sport, but also an art form in which athletes could display their strength.
This discipline requires a combination of strength, speed and technique: athletes must perfect their running stride, body rotation and javelin release to achieve maximum throwing distance.
During competitions, athletes must not turn their backs to the drop zone at any stage of the approach and throw. By regulation, the javelin must be released above the shoulder or upper part of the throwing arm.
For a record to be homologated, the javelin must meet the specifications set by World Athletics: the men’s javelin must weigh at least 800 grams and be 2.6-2.7 meters long, while the women’s javelin must weigh 600 grams and be 2.2-2.3 meters long.
In the past, wooden javelins were used, while those currently used during competitions are made of fiberglass and the metal. Materials that help maximize distance.
Czech athlete Jan Železný is considered the best javelin thrower in history. He achieved a hat trick of Olympic titles from 1992 to 2000 and set the world record of 98.48 meters in 1996.
Her compatriot Barbora Spotakova is among the leading javelin throwers in history, won consecutive Olympic titles in 2008 and 2012, and is the women’s world record holder with the best throw at 72.28 meters.
Security: also following the previous world record of 104.80 meters set by Uwe Hohn of East Germany in 1984, the men’s javelin was redesigned for safety reasons. Its center of gravity, since 1986, has been moved forward 4 centimeters to prevent it from overshooting the available drop zone in stadiums.
Penalties: it is forbidden to touch with any part of the body the outside of the platform, where the athletes are positioned, or its upper edge. When this happens, athletes can be disqualified. To mark the validity or otherwise of the throw, a red or white flag is waved.
Characteristics: the javelin is the only throwing specialty where a run-up is involved. In fact, the action is performed not on a circular platform but on a “run-up platform,” which must be at least 30 meters long and 4 meters wide.