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.
Lillian Copeland was an American track and field Olympic champion athlete, who excelled in discus, javelin throwing, and shot put, setting multiple world records. She has been called "the most successful female discus thrower in U.S. history". She also held multiple titles in shot put and javelin throwing. She won a silver medal in discus at the 1928 Summer Olympics, a gold medal in discus at the 1932 Summer Olympics, and gold medals in discus, javelin, and shot put at the 1935 Maccabiah Games in Mandatory Palestine.
Theresa Ione Sanderson is a British former javelin thrower. She appeared in every Summer Olympics from 1976 to 1996, winning the gold medal in the javelin throw at the 1984 Olympics. She was the second track and field athlete to compete at six Olympics, and the first Black British woman to win an Olympic gold medal.
One athlete from India competed at the 1900 Summer Olympics in Paris, France, thereby being the nation's first appearance at the modern Olympic Games. Olympic historians tend to separate Indian results from British ones despite India's lack of independence, in a similar manner to the separation of results of competitors from Australia before 1901. One athlete, Norman Pritchard, represented India in 1900.
Boris Obergföll is a retired German track and field athlete who competed in the javelin throw. He won a bronze medal in the World Championships twice. His personal best throw was 90.44 metres, set in July 1997. This ranks him fifth among German javelin throwers, behind Johannes Vetter, Thomas Röhler, Raymond Hecht and Andreas Hofmann.
Devendra Jhajharia is an Indian Paralympic javelin thrower competing in F46 events. He is the first Indian Paralympics player to win two gold medals at the Paralympics. He won his first gold in the javelin throw at the 2004 Summer Paralympics in Athens, becoming the second gold medalist at the Paralympics for his country. At the 2016 Summer Paralympics in Rio de Janeiro, he won a second gold medal in the same event, bettering his previous record. Devendra is currently being supported by the Olympic Gold Quest. He becomes India's most decorated Paralympic player by winning his third medal, a silver at the 2020 Summer Paralympics at Tokyo. In 2024, he was elected president of the Paralympic Committee of India.
Germany was the host nation and top medal recipient at the 1936 Summer Olympics in Berlin. 433 competitors, 389 men and 44 women, took part in 143 events in 22 sports.
Bill Schmidt is a retired male American javelin thrower from the Pittsburgh suburb of Southview, Pennsylvania. He is the son of Helen and Louis Schmidt, and won the bronze medal at the 1972 Summer Olympics.
Michael Thomas Maria Wessing was a German javelin thrower.
Kathryn Mitchell is an Australian track and field athlete who competes in the javelin throw. She has represented her country at three Olympic Games, finishing ninth in 2012 and sixth in 2016. She won gold at the 2018 Commonwealth Games with a throw of 68.92 m, a Commonwealth Games, Australian and Oceanian record. It also ranks her ninth on the world all-time list.
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.
Thomas Röhler is a German track and field athlete who competes in the javelin throw. He is the 2016 Olympic Champion and 2018 European Champion. His personal best of 93.90 m for the event ranks him third on the overall list.
Subedar Major Neeraj Chopra is an Indian track and field athlete competing in javelin throw. He became the first Asian athlete to win an Olympic gold medal after he won the gold medal at the 2020 Olympics. He was also the first Asian to win gold in the javelin throw event after his win at the 2023 World Championship.
Mackenzie Little is an Australian javelin thrower. She qualified for the 2020 Tokyo Olympics and came second in her Women's javelin throw qualification with a throw of 62.37m. She later came eighth in the final.
Arshad Nadeem is a Pakistani track and field athlete in the javelin throw. He is the reigning Olympic champion and Commonwealth Games Champion in the Men's javelin throw. He is also the current silver medalist in the World Athletics Championship. In 2024 he set an Olympic record with throw of 92.97 metres (305.0 ft) at the 2024 Summer Olympics.
The men's javelin throw event at the 2020 Summer Olympics took place on 4 and 7 August 2021 at the Japan National Stadium. Approximately 35 athletes competed; the exact number depended on how many nations use universality places to enter athletes in addition to the 32 qualifying through distance or ranking.
Michael Shuey is an American track and field athlete competing in the javelin throw. In 2019, he competed in the men's javelin throw at the 2019 World Athletics Championships in Doha, Qatar. He did not qualify to compete in the final.
Toni Matti Kristian Kuusela is a Finnish athlete specializing in the javelin throw. He represented Finland at the 2020 Summer Olympics in the javelin throw.
Takuto Kominami is a Japanese athlete specializing in the javelin throw. He represented Japan at the 2020 Summer Olympics in the javelin throw.
Sumit Antil is an Indian paralympian and javelin thrower. He won gold medals in men's javelin throw F64 category at the 2020 Summer Paralympics and the 2023 World Para Athletics Championships. He holds the current world record, having thrown 73.29 meters at the 2022 Asian Para Games in Hangzhou.
Germany 