The javelin throw is a track and field event where the javelin, a spear about 2.5 m in length, is thrown as far as possible. 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.
Jānis Lūsis was a Latvian track and field athlete who competed in javelin throw.
Andreas Thorkildsen is a retired Norwegian track and field athlete who competed in the javelin throw. He was the Olympic Champion in 2004 and 2008, European Champion in 2006 and 2010, and World Champion in 2009. He is the first male javelin thrower in history to simultaneously be European, World and Olympic Champion. He was also a three-time silver medalist at the World Championships, placing second in 2005, 2007 and 2011. His personal best of 91.59 m, set in 2006, is the Norwegian record.
József Várszegi was a Hungarian athlete who competed in the javelin throw. Among his best results are a European Championships bronze medal from 1938 and an Olympic Games bronze from 1948. Várszegi won the Hungarian national championships a record 20 times between 1932 and 1952 and also broke the Hungarian national record six times during his career.
The men's javelin throw was one of six throwing events on the Athletics at the 1908 Summer Olympics programme in London. The javelin was required to be held in the middle. The competition was held on 17 July 1908. 16 throwers from six nations competed. NOCs could enter up to 12 athletes.
The men's freestyle javelin throw was one of six throwing events on the Athletics at the 1908 Summer Olympics programme in London. The javelin could be held anywhere, as opposed to the standard javelin throw which required the javelin to be held by a grip in the middle. This was the only time such a "freestyle" event was held at the Olympics. The competition was held on 15 July 1908. 33 throwers from nine nations competed. NOCs could enter up to 12 athletes.
Móric "Mór" Kóczán was a Slovak–Hungarian athlete and Calvinist pastor. Specialized for the throwing events, his best results came in the javelin throw, having won five Hungarian championship titles between 1911 and 1918. Kóczán competed for Hungary at the 1908 Summer Olympics and 1912 Summer Olympics. He produced his best performance in 1912 by winning the bronze medal in the javelin throw event.
The men's javelin throw was a track and field athletics event held as part of the athletics at the 1912 Summer Olympics programme. It was the second appearance of the event, but in 1908 it was a standing throw with no run up. The competition was held on Saturday, July 6, 1912. Twenty-five javelin throwers from seven nations competed. NOCs could enter up to 12 athletes.
The men's javelin throw event was part of the track and field athletics programme at the 1920 Summer Olympics. The competition was held on Sunday, August 15, 1920. Twenty-five javelin throwers from twelve nations competed.
The men's javelin throw event at the 1988 Summer Olympics in Seoul, South Korea had an entry list of 38 competitors, with two qualifying groups before the final (12) took place on Sunday September 25, 1988. This was the first time that the competitors had to use the new javelin. The qualification mark was set at 79.00 metres.
The men's javelin throw event was part of the track and field athletics programme at the 1924 Summer Olympics. The competition was held on Sunday, July 6, 1924. 29 javelin throwers from 15 nations competed.
The men's javelin throw event was part of the track and field athletics programme at the 1928 Summer Olympics. The competition was held on Thursday, August 2, 1928. Twenty-eight javelin throwers from 18 nations competed.
The Men's Javelin Throw event at the 1960 Summer Olympics took place on September 7–8 at the Stadio Olimpico. The qualifying standard was 60 m.
The Men's Javelin Throw event at the 1972 Summer Olympics took place on September 2–3 at the Olympic Stadium, Munich. The qualifying standard was 80 m.
Julius Yego is a Kenyan track and field athlete who competes in the javelin throw. Nicknamed "Mr. YouTube" because he learned how to throw by watching YouTube videos of javelin athletes, Yego is the African record holder for the event with a personal best of 92.72 m.
The Women's Javelin Throw event at the 1968 Summer Olympics took place on October 14 at the Estadio Olímpico Universitario.
The javelin throw at the Summer Olympics is one of four track and field throwing events held at the multi-sport event. The men's javelin throw has been present on the Olympic athletics programme since 1908, being the last of the current throwing events to feature at the Olympics after the shot put, discus throw and hammer throw. The women's event was first contested at the 1932 Olympics, becoming the second women's throws event after the discus in 1928.
Combined events at the Summer Olympics have been contested in several formats at the multi-sport event. There are two combined track and field events in the current Olympic athletics programme: a men's decathlon and a women's heptathlon.
Hamish Peacock is an Australian track and field athlete who competes in the javelin throw. He has competed at the Commonwealth Games, World Championships and the Summer Olympics.
Gary Michael Stenlund was an American athlete. He held the Junior World Record for javelin and set many records for Oregon State. He placed second in the NCAA javelin in 1960 for Oregon State. He won second place at the Pan American Games in 1967 with a throw of 73.96m. He competed in the men's javelin throw at the 1968 Summer Olympics. Throwing for Oregon State University, he finished second at the 1960 NCAA Championships. He broke the M65 world record in the javelin with a 56.93 in the Hayward Masters Classic. He is also the former M70 world record holder, set in Sacramento, California, while winning the Masters Athletics World Championships. He broke the Master's World Record for M75 with a 47.12 meter javelin throw in 2016 at the age of 76.
