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[[Image:Bregje crolla Europacup 2007.jpg|thumb|right|Bregje Crolla during Europacup 2007]]
[[Image:Bregje crolla Europacup 2007.jpg|thumb|right|Bregje Crolla during Europacup 2007]]
[[Image:Osaka07 D7M Stephan Steding Javelin.jpg|thumb|right|World Athletics Championships 2007 in Osaka - German javelin thrower Stephan Steding]]
[[Image:Osaka07 D7M Stephan Steding Javelin.jpg|thumb|right|World Athletics Championships 2007 in Osaka - German javelin thrower Stephan Steding]]
The '''javelin throw''' is a [[track and field]] event where the [[Javelin (weapon)|javelin]], a [[spear]] about {{convert|2.5|m|abbr=on}} in length, is thrown. The javelin thrower gains [[momentum]] by running within a predetermined area. Javelin throwing is an event of both the men's [[decathlon]] and the women's heptathlon.
The '''javelin throw''' is a [[track and field]] event where the [[Javelin (weapon)|javelin]], a [[spear]] about {{convert|2.5|m|abbr=on}} in length, is thrown. The javelin thrower gains [[momentum]] by running within a predetermined area. Javelin throwing is an event of both the men's [[decathlon]] and the women's heptathlon.


==History==
==History==

Revision as of 21:47, 3 May 2016

Bregje Crolla during Europacup 2007
World Athletics Championships 2007 in Osaka - German javelin thrower Stephan Steding

The javelin throw is a track and field event where the javelin, a spear about 2.5 m (8 ft 2 in) in length, is thrown. The javelin thrower gains momentum by running within a predetermined area. Javelin throwing is an event of both the men's decathlon and the women's heptathlon.

History

The javelin was part of the pentathlon of the Ancient Olympic Games beginning in 708 BC, in two disciplines, distance and target throw. The javelin was thrown with the aid of a thong, called ankyle wound around the middle of the shaft. Athletes would hold the javelin by the thong and when the javelin was released this thong unwound giving the javelin a spiraled flight.

Throwing javelin-like poles into targets was revived in Germany and Sweden in the early 1870s. In Sweden, these poles developed into the modern javelin, and throwing them for distance became a common event there and in Finland in the 1880s. The rules continued to evolve over the next decades; originally, javelins were thrown with no run-up, and holding them by the grip at the center of gravity was not mandatory. Limited run-ups were introduced in the late 1890s, and soon developed into the modern unlimited run-up.[1]

As an Olympic discipline, the javelin throw was introduced in the 1906 Intercalated Games for men, and in the 1932 Summer Olympics for women. It has been included in the decathlon since its introduction in 1912; the all-around, an earlier form of the decathlon held at the 1904 Summer Olympics, did not include the javelin throw.[2]

Of the 69 Olympic medals that have been awarded in the men's javelin, 32 have gone to competitors from Norway, Sweden or Finland. Finland is the only nation to have ever swept the medals at a currently recognized official Olympics, and has done so twice, in 1920 and 1932. (However, Sweden swept the first four places at the 1906 Intercalated Games. Finland's 1920 sweep also featured an additional fourth-place finish. Sweeping the first four places is no longer possible, as only three entrants per country are allowed.) In 1912 Finland also swept the medals in the only appearance in the Olympics of two-handed javelin, an event in which the implement was separately thrown with both the right hand and the left hand and the marks were added together. Quite popular in Finland and Sweden at the time, this event soon faded into obscurity, together with similar variations of the shot and the discus; Sweden's Yngve Häckner, with his total of 114.28 m from 1917, was the last official world record holder.[3]

The first official world record in the men's javelin throw was recognised by the International Association of Athletics Federations in 1912.[4] Over time, distances thrown progressed significantly, and the 100 m mark was passed by Uwe Hohn in 1984. As a response to the increasingly frequent flat or ambiguously flat landings, experiments with modified javelins started in the early 1980s; the resulting new designs, which made flat landings much less common and reduced the distances thrown, became official for men starting in April 1986 and for women in April 1999, and the world records were reset.[5] The current (as of 2015) men's world record is held by Jan Železný at 98.48 m (1996). Barbora Špotáková holds the women's world record at 72.28 m (2008).

Rules and competitions

The size, shape, minimum weight, and center of gravity of the javelin are all defined by IAAF rules. In international competition, men throw a javelin between 2.6 and 2.7 m (8 ft 6 in and 8 ft 10 in) in length and 800 g (28 oz) in weight, and women throw a javelin between 2.2 and 2.3 m (7 ft 3 in and 7 ft 7 in) in length and 600 g (21 oz) in weight. The javelin has a grip, about 150 mm (5.9 in) wide, made of cord and located at the javelin's center of gravity (0.9 to 1.06 m (2 ft 11 in to 3 ft 6 in) from the javelin tip for the men's javelin and 0.8 to 0.92 m (2 ft 7 in to 3 ft 0 in) from the javelin tip for the women's javelin).

Matti Järvinen throwing the javelin at the 1932 Olympics

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. This rule was put in place when a group of athletes began experimenting with a spin technique referred to as "free style. On October 24, 1956, Pentti Saarikoski threw 99.25 m (325 ft 7+14 in)[6] using the technique holding the end of the javelin. Officials were so afraid of the out of control nature of the technique that the practice was banned through these rule specifications.

Instead of being confined to a circle, javelin throwers have a runway 4 m (13 ft) wide and at least 30 m (98 ft) 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 28.96 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 distances are permitted to attempt to improve on their distance in additional rounds (typically three).

Javelin redesigns

A Bulgarian javelin thrower, 1934

On 1 April 1986, the men's javelin (800 grams (1.76 lb)) was redesigned by the governing body (the IAAF Technical Committee). They decided to change the rules for javelin design 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 world record had also crept up to a potentially dangerous level, 104.80 m (343.8 ft) by Uwe Hohn. With throws exceeding 100 meters, it was becoming difficult to safely stage the competition within the confines of a stadium infield. The javelin was redesigned so that the centre of gravity was moved 4 cm (1.6 in) forward, while the surface areas in front of and behind the centre of gravity were reduced and increased, respectively. This had the similar effect of feathers on an arrow. The javelin turns into the relative wind. Relative wind appears to originate from the ground as the javelin decends, thus the javelin turns to face the ground. As the javelin turns into the wind less lift is generated 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 (600 grams (1.32 lb)) was similarly redesigned.[7]

Modifications that manufacturers made to recover some of the lost distance, by increasing tail drag (using holes, rough paint or dimples), were forbidden at the end of 1991 and marks made using implements with such modifications removed from the record books. Seppo Räty had achieved a world record of 96.96 m (318.1 ft) in 1991 with such a design, but this record was nullified.

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 others, although they still need the skill of 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. Without proper strength and flexibility, throwers can become extremely injury prone, especially in the shoulder and elbow. 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).

US high school and below

Due to the fear of liability, the javelin throw is not an event in NFHS high school competition in 36 states, though USATF youth competitions for the same aged athletes do hold javelin competitions.[8] At various points in time, high schools have attempted to create substitute events, including the softball throw, football throw[9] and the grenade throw,[10]throwing different objects under rules similar to javelin throw rules. In those states that do allow high school javelin competition, a few specify that the tip must be of rubber. Further, in age group track meets in the U.S., and in particular with elementary-school children in the Northeast, the Turbojav—a smaller plastic implement with a rubber tip but with similar flying characteristics as a real javelin—is a popular alternative.

Culture

File:10th IAAF World Championships in Athletics 5euro Reverse.JPG
10th IAAF World Championships in Athletics commemorative coin

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.

A women's and a men's javelin

All-time top ten (current models)

Men

  • (Updated August 2015)
Rank Mark Athlete Place Date Ref
1 98.48  Jan Železný (CZE) Jena 25 May 1996
2 93.09  Aki Parviainen (FIN) Kuortane 26 June 1999
3 92.72  Julius Yego (KEN) Beijing 26 August 2015 [11]
4 92.61  Sergey Makarov (RUS) Sheffield 30 June 2002
5 92.60  Raymond Hecht (GER) Oslo 21 July 1995
6 91.69  Konstadinós Gatsioúdis (GRE) Kuortane 24 June 2000
7 91.59  Andreas Thorkildsen (NOR) Oslo 2 June 2006
8 91.53  Tero Pitkämäki (FIN) Kuortane 26 June 2005
9 91.46  Steve Backley (GBR) Auckland 25 January 1992 [12]
10 91.29  Breaux Greer (USA) Indianapolis 21 June 2007

Women

  • (Updated August 2015)
Rank Mark Athlete Place Date Ref
1 72.28  Barbora Špotáková (CZE) Stuttgart 13 September 2008
2 71.99  Mariya Abakumova (RUS) Daegu 2 September 2011
3 71.70  Osleidys Menéndez (CUB) Helsinki 14 August 2005
4 70.20  Christina Obergföll (GER) Munich 23 June 2007
5 69.48  Trine Hattestad (NOR) Oslo 28 July 2000
6 69.35  Sunette Viljoen (RSA) New York 9 June 2012
7 68.34  Steffi Nerius (GER) Elstal 31 August 2008
8 67.69  Katharina Molitor (GER) Beijing 30 August 2015 [13]
9 67.67  Sonia Bisset (CUB) Salamanca 6 July 2005
10 67.51  Miréla Manjani (GRE) Sydney 30 September 2000

Olympic medalists

Men

Games Gold Silver Bronze
1908 London
details
Eric Lemming
 Sweden
Arne Halse
 Norway
Otto Nilsson
 Sweden
1912 Stockholm
details
Eric Lemming
 Sweden
Julius Saaristo
 Finland
Mór Kóczán
 Hungary
1920 Antwerp
details
Jonni Myyrä
 Finland
Urho Peltonen
 Finland
Pekka Johansson
 Finland
1924 Paris
details
Jonni Myyrä
 Finland
Gunnar Lindström
 Sweden
Eugene Oberst
 United States
1928 Amsterdam
details
Erik Lundqvist
 Sweden
Béla Szepes
 Hungary
Olav Sunde
 Norway
1932 Los Angeles
details
Matti Järvinen
 Finland
Matti Sippala
 Finland
Eino Penttilä
 Finland
1936 Berlin
details
Gerhard Stöck
 Germany
Yrjö Nikkanen
 Finland
Kalervo Toivonen
 Finland
1948 London
details
Tapio Rautavaara
 Finland
Steve Seymour
 United States
József Várszegi
 Hungary
1952 Helsinki
details
Cy Young
 United States
Bill Miller
 United States
Toivo Hyytiäinen
 Finland
1956 Melbourne
details
Egil Danielsen
 Norway
Janusz Sidło
 Poland
Viktor Tsybulenko
 Soviet Union
1960 Rome
details
Viktor Tsybulenko
 Soviet Union
Walter Krüger
 United Team of Germany
Gergely Kulcsár
 Hungary
1964 Tokyo
details
Pauli Nevala
 Finland
Gergely Kulcsár
 Hungary
Jānis Lūsis
 Soviet Union
1968 Mexico City
details
Jānis Lūsis
 Soviet Union
Jorma Kinnunen
 Finland
Gergely Kulcsár
 Hungary
1972 Munich
details
Klaus Wolfermann
 West Germany
Jānis Lūsis
 Soviet Union
Bill Schmidt
 United States
1976 Montreal
details
Miklós Németh
 Hungary
Hannu Siitonen
 Finland
Gheorghe Megelea
 Romania
1980 Moscow
details
Dainis Kūla
 Soviet Union
Aleksandr Makarov
 Soviet Union
Wolfgang Hanisch
 East Germany
1984 Los Angeles
details
Arto Härkönen
 Finland
David Ottley
 Great Britain
Kenth Eldebrink
 Sweden
1988 Seoul
details
Tapio Korjus
 Finland
Jan Železný
 Czechoslovakia
Seppo Räty
 Finland
1992 Barcelona
details
Jan Železný
 Czechoslovakia
Seppo Räty
 Finland
Steve Backley
 Great Britain
1996 Atlanta
details
Jan Železný
 Czech Republic
Steve Backley
 Great Britain
Seppo Räty
 Finland
2000 Sydney
details
Jan Železný
 Czech Republic
Steve Backley
 Great Britain
Sergey Makarov
 Russia
2004 Athens
details
Andreas Thorkildsen
 Norway
Vadims Vasiļevskis
 Latvia
Sergey Makarov
 Russia
2008 Beijing
details
Andreas Thorkildsen
 Norway
Ainārs Kovals
 Latvia
Tero Pitkämäki
 Finland
2012 London
details
Keshorn Walcott
 Trinidad and Tobago
Antti Ruuskanen
 Finland
Vítězslav Veselý
 Czech Republic
2016 Rio de Janeiro
details
Thomas Röhler
 Germany
Julius Yego
 Kenya
Keshorn Walcott
 Trinidad and Tobago
2020 Tokyo
details
Neeraj Chopra
 India
Jakub Vadlejch
 Czech Republic
Vítězslav Veselý
 Czech Republic
2024 Paris
details
Arshad Nadeem
 Pakistan
Neeraj Chopra
 India
Anderson Peters
 Grenada

Women

Games Gold Silver Bronze
1932 Los Angeles
details
Babe Didrikson
 United States
Ellen Braumüller
 Germany
Tilly Fleischer
 Germany
1936 Berlin
details
Tilly Fleischer
 Germany
Luise Krüger
 Germany
Maria Kwaśniewska
 Poland
1948 London
details
Herma Bauma
 Austria
Kaisa Parviainen
 Finland
Lily Carlstedt
 Denmark
1952 Helsinki
details
Dana Zátopková
 Czechoslovakia
Aleksandra Chudina
 Soviet Union
Yelena Gorchakova
 Soviet Union
1956 Melbourne
details
Inese Jaunzeme
 Soviet Union
Marlene Ahrens
 Chile
Nadezhda Konyayeva
 Soviet Union
1960 Rome
details
Elvīra Ozoliņa
 Soviet Union
Dana Zátopková
 Czechoslovakia
Birutė Kalėdienė
 Soviet Union
1964 Tokyo
details
Mihaela Peneș
 Romania
Márta Rudas
 Hungary
Yelena Gorchakova
 Soviet Union
1968 Mexico City
details
Angéla Németh
 Hungary
Mihaela Peneș
 Romania
Eva Janko
 Austria
1972 Munich
details
Ruth Fuchs
 East Germany
Jacqueline Todten
 East Germany
Kate Schmidt
 United States
1976 Montreal
details
Ruth Fuchs
 East Germany
Marion Becker
 West Germany
Kate Schmidt
 United States
1980 Moscow
details
María Caridad Colón
 Cuba
Saida Gunba
 Soviet Union
Ute Hommola
 East Germany
1984 Los Angeles
details
Tessa Sanderson
 Great Britain
Tiina Lillak
 Finland
Fatima Whitbread
 Great Britain
1988 Seoul
details
Petra Felke
 East Germany
Fatima Whitbread
 Great Britain
Beate Koch
 East Germany
1992 Barcelona
details
Silke Renk
 Germany
Natalya Shikolenko
 Unified Team
Karen Forkel
 Germany
1996 Atlanta
details
Heli Rantanen
 Finland
Louise McPaul
 Australia
Trine Hattestad
 Norway
2000 Sydney
details
Trine Hattestad
 Norway
Mirela Maniani-Tzelili
 Greece
Osleidys Menéndez
 Cuba
2004 Athens
details
Osleidys Menéndez
 Cuba
Steffi Nerius
 Germany
Mirela Maniani
 Greece
2008 Beijing
details
Barbora Špotáková
 Czech Republic
Christina Obergföll
 Germany[14]
Goldie Sayers
 Great Britain
2012 London
details
Barbora Špotáková
 Czech Republic
Christina Obergföll
 Germany
Linda Stahl
 Germany
2016 Rio de Janeiro
details
Sara Kolak
 Croatia
Sunette Viljoen
 South Africa
Barbora Špotáková
 Czech Republic
2020 Tokyo
details
Liu Shiying
 China
Maria Andrejczyk
 Poland
Kelsey-Lee Barber
 Australia
2024 Paris
details
Haruka Kitaguchi
 Japan
Jo-Ane van Dyk
 South Africa
Nikola Ogrodníková
 Czech Republic

Season's bests

As of 7 June 2015

See also

Notes and references

  1. ^ Jukola, Martti (1935). Huippu-urheilun historia (in Finnish). Werner Söderström Osakeyhtiö.
  2. ^ IAAF Scoring Tables for Combined Events, p. 7.
  3. ^ Vélez Blasco, Miguel. "Part III: Llançaments - Tema 12 Javelina" (pdf) (in Catalan). Institut Nacional d'Educació Física de Catalunya / Federació Catalana d'Atletisme. Retrieved 21 April 2014.
  4. ^ "12th IAAF World Championships In Athletics: IAAF Statistics Handbook. Berlin 2009" (PDF). Monte Carlo: IAAF Media & Public Relations Department. 2009. pp. Pages 546, 559. Archived from the original (pdf) on 23 November 2012. Retrieved 5 August 2009. {{cite web}}: |archive-date= / |archive-url= timestamp mismatch; 29 June 2011 suggested (help)
  5. ^ Bremicher, Erick. "Why did the senior javelin specification have to be changed?". Retrieved 22 May 2015.
  6. ^ Pentti Saarikosk
  7. ^ "Physics: Javelin Designs, what's the significance? - World of Javelin". worldofjavelin.com.
  8. ^ http://www.usatf.org/groups/officials/files/resources/field-events/officiating-the-throws-usatf-monograph.pdf
  9. ^ http://www.cifss.org/admin/images/history_corner/32footballthrowintrack.pdf
  10. ^ http://www.cifss.org/wp-content/uploads/2015/06/46grenadethrow.pdf
  11. ^ "Javelin Throw Results". IAAF. 26 August 2015. Retrieved 26 August 2015.
  12. ^ British Athletics. "British Athletics Official WebsiteSteve Backley". britishathletics.org.uk.
  13. ^ "Women's Javelin Throw Results". IAAF. 30 August 2015. Retrieved 30 August 2015.
  14. ^ Mariya Abakumova, from Russia, was disqualified in 2016, after retesting. Sayers was later confirmed as the bronze medalist.