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.
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.
Sunette Stella Viljoen-Louw is a South African sportswoman who has represented her country in both cricket and athletics. In athletics, she competes as a javelin thrower and has won an Olympic silver medal and two Commonwealth Games gold medals, as well as medals in various other competitions. As a cricketer, she represented the South African national team between 2000 and 2002, including at the 2000 World Cup in New Zealand.
Kara Estelle Winger is an American track and field athlete who competes in the javelin throw. She is the American record holder in the javelin throw with a distance of 68.11 m.
Līna Mūze is a Latvian track and field athlete who competes in the javelin throw. She is a European Games champion and won the gold medal in the javelin event at the 2023 Championships. Mūze is also a European U23 champion, and a World Junior Championships and European Junior Championships silver medallist. She is a three-time Olympian and competed at the 2012, 2020 and 2024 Olympic Games. Her personal best throw is 64.87 m, set in 2019.
Madeleine Hogan is a Paralympic athlete from Australia competing mainly in category F42/F46 javelin throw events. She has won bronze medals at the 2008 Summer Paralympics and 2012 Summer Paralympics. She represented Australia at the 2016 Rio Paralympics in athletics.
Elizabeth "Liz" Gleadle is a Canadian track and field athlete competing in the javelin throw. She is the national record holder and has twice won Pan American Games medals, thrice made the World Championship finals and is a three-time Olympian, making the final at the 2012 Summer Olympics, finishing 12th.
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.
Brittany Borman is an American track and field athlete who competes primarily in the discus and the javelin throw. She is a four-time NCAA Track and Field Champion, winning the javelin in 2010, 2011, and 2012, and the discus in 2010. In 2012, she won the US Olympic Trials in the javelin and represented the United States at the 2012 Summer Olympics. She also represented the US at the 2016 Olympic Games.
Brydee Moore is an Australian athlete with cerebral palsy that competes in the shot put, discus and javelin. She won a silver medal at the 2015 IPC Athletics World Championships. She represented Australia at the 2016 Rio Paralympics in athletics.
Hollie Beth Arnold, is a British parasport athlete competing in category F46 javelin. Although born in Grimsby, she now lives and trains in Loughborough. She represents Wales in the Commonwealth Games.
Marharyta Serhiïvna Dorozhon is an Israeli javelin thrower. Born and raised in Ukraine, she competed for that country until she became an Israeli citizen in 2014.
Deepa Malik is an Indian para athlete from Haryana. She is the first Indian woman to win a medal in Paralympic Games. She won a silver medal at the 2016 Summer Paralympics in shot put.
Christin Hussong is a German track and field athlete who competes in the javelin throw. She has won gold at the 2011 World Youth Championships, 2015 European U23 Championships and at the 2018 European Championships. Hussong holds the European Championships record with her personal best throw of 69.19 m.
Kelsey-Lee Barber is an Australian track and field athlete who competes in the javelin throw. She won gold at the 2019 World Championships, and her personal best of 67.70 m ranks her 13th in the overall list.
Barbara Friedrich Parcinski is an American former track and field athlete who competed in the javelin throw. She was a member of the United States team at the 1968 Summer Olympics in Mexico City and was a gold medalist in the javelin at the 1967 Pan American Games in Winnipeg. Friedrich set the U.S. record at 198 feet 8 inches (60.55 m) as a high school senior with a throw in 1967 that also set the national high school record. Due to safety-related changes made to reduce the distance of javelin throws in high school competition, her record is unlikely to ever be exceeded.
Sara Kolak is a Croatian track and field athlete who competes in the javelin throw. She is an Olympic champion and won the gold medal in the javelin throw event at the 2016 Summer Olympics. Kolak is also a European Championships bronze medallist and European U23 champion. She holds the Croatian record with a personal best throw of 68.43 m, set in 2017. It also ranks her tenth on the world all-time list. Kolak is a three-time Olympian and competed at the 2016, 2020 and 2024 Summer Olympics.
Liveta Jasiūnaitė is a Lithuanian athlete who specialises in the javelin throw. She competed in the javelin throw event at the 2016 European Championships in Amsterdam, Netherlands. Jasiūnaite holds the Lithuanian record in javelin throw. In 2011, she won the silver medal at the European Youth Summer Olympic Festival. In 2015, she won the bronze medal at the European Athletics U23 Championships.
Maggie Malone-Hardin is an American track and field athlete competing in the javelin throw. She holds a personal record of 67.40 meters for the event, set in 2021, a national record. She was the 2016 American national and collegiate record holder and NCAA Division 1 champion. She is the American collegiate record holder. Maggie and Sam Hardin married in 2022.
Holly Irene Robinson is a New Zealand para-athlete, primarily competing in the javelin throw. She represented New Zealand at the 2012, 2016 and 2020 Summer Paralympics, winning silver in 2016 and gold in 2020. At the 2016 Games, she was New Zealand's flagbearer for the opening ceremony.
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