Hammer throw
The hammer throw is one of the four throwing events in regular track and field competitions, along with the discus throw, shot put and javelin. The "hammer" used in this sport is not like any of the tools also called by that name. It consists of a metal ball attached by a steel wire to a grip. The size of the ball varies between men's and women's competitions (see Competition section below for details).
History
With roots dating back to the 15th century, the contemporary version of the hammer throw is one of the oldest of Olympic Games competitions, first included at the 1900 games in Paris, France (the second Olympiad of the modern era). Its history since the late 1960s and legacy prior to inclusion in the Olympics have been dominated by European and Eastern European influence, which has affected interest in the event in other parts of the world.
The hammer evolved from its early informal origins to become part of the Scottish Highland games in the late 18th century, where the original version of the event is still contested today.
While the men's hammer throw has been part of the Olympics since 1900, the International Association of Athletics Federations did not start ratifying women's marks until 1995. Women's hammer throw was first included in the Olympics at the 2000 summer games in Sydney, Australia, after having been included in the World Championships a year earlier.
Competition
The men's hammer weighs 16 pounds (7.26 kg) and measures 3 feet 11 3⁄4 inches (121.3 cm) in length, and the women's hammer weighs 8.82 lb (4 kg) and 3 ft 11 in (119.4 cm) in length.[1] Like the other throwing events, the competition is decided by who can throw the implement the farthest.
Although commonly thought of as a strength event, technical advancements in the last 30 years have evolved hammer throw competition to a point where more focus is on speed in order to gain maximum distance.
The throwing motion involves about two swings from stationary position, then three, four or very rarely five rotations of the body in circular motion using a complicated heel-toe movement of the foot. The ball moves in a circular path, gradually increasing in velocity with each turn with the high point of the hammer ball toward the target sector and the low point at the back of the circle. The thrower releases the ball from the front of the circle.
As of 2015 the men's hammer world record is held by Yuriy Sedykh, who threw 86.74 m (284 ft 63⁄4 in) at the 1986 European Athletics Championships in Stuttgart, West Germany on 30 August.
The world record for the women's hammer is held by Anita Włodarczyk, who threw 82.98 m (272 ft 23⁄4 in) during the Kamila Skolimowska Memorial on 28 August 2016.
All-time top 25
Men
- Updated August 2015
Rank | Mark | Athlete | Location | Date | Ref |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
1 | 86.74 m (284 ft 63⁄4 in) | Stuttgart | 30 August 1986 | ||
2 | 86.04 m (282 ft 31⁄4 in) | Dresden | 3 July 1986 | ||
3 | 84.90 m (278 ft 61⁄2 in) | Minsk | 21 July 2005 | ||
4 | 84.86 m (278 ft 43⁄4 in) | Prague | 29 June 2003 | ||
5 | 84.62 m (277 ft 71⁄4 in) | Seville | 6 June 1992 | ||
6 | 84.51 m (277 ft 3 in) | Grodno | 9 July 2008 | ||
7 | 84.48 m (277 ft 13⁄4 in) | Lausanne | 12 July 1990 | ||
8 | 84.40 m (276 ft 103⁄4 in) | Banská Bystrica | 9 September 1984 | ||
9 | 84.19 m (276 ft 21⁄2 in) | Szombathely | 10 August 2003 | ||
10 | 83.93 m (275 ft 41⁄4 in) | Szczecin | 9 August 2015 | [2] | |
11 | 83.68 m (274 ft 61⁄4 in) | Zalaegerszeg | 19 September 1998 | ||
12 | 83.46 m (273 ft 93⁄4 in) | Sochi | 26 May 1990 | ||
13 | 83.43 m (273 ft 81⁄2 in) | Adler | 10 February 2002 | ||
14 | 83.40 m (273 ft 71⁄4 in) | Athens | 16 May 1988 | ||
15 | 83.38 m (273 ft 61⁄2 in) | Edmonton | 5 August 2001 | ||
16 | 83.30 m (273 ft 31⁄2 in) | Lahti | 14 July 2004 | ||
17 | 83.04 m (272 ft 51⁄4 in) | Frankfurt | 29 June 1997 | ||
18 | 83.00 m (272 ft 31⁄2 in) | Saint-Denis | 4 June 1998 | ||
19 | 82.78 m (271 ft 7 in) | Dortmund | 26 June 1999 | ||
20 | 82.69 m (271 ft 31⁄2 in) | Zürich | 16 August 2014 | ||
21 | 82.64 m (271 ft 11⁄2 in) | Dresden | 3 August 1985 | ||
22 | 82.62 m (271 ft 03⁄4 in) | Zalaegerszeg | 30 May 1998 | ||
82.62 m (271 ft 03⁄4 in) | Kiev | 27 April 2002 | |||
24 | 82.58 m (270 ft 11 in) | Celje | 2 September 2009 | ||
25 | 82.54 m (270 ft 91⁄2 in) | Krasnodar | 13 May 1992 |
Notes
Below is a list of all other throws superior to 86.50 metres:
- Yuriy Sedykh 86.66 m (1986). Sedykh also threw 86.68 m and 86.62 m ancillary marks during world record competition.
Non-legal marks
- Ivan Tsikhan of Belarus also threw 86.73 on 3 July 2005 in Brest, but this performance was annulled due to drugs disqualification.
Women
- Correct as of June 2018.[3]
Rank | Mark | Athlete | Date | Location | Ref |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
1 | 82.98 m (272 ft 23⁄4 in) | 28 August 2016 | Warsaw | [4] | |
2 | 79.42 m (260 ft 63⁄4 in) | 21 May 2011 | Halle | ||
3 | 78.80 m (258 ft 61⁄4 in) | 16 August 2013 | Moscow | ||
4 | 78.12 m (256 ft 31⁄2 in) | 23 June 2018 | Des Moines | [5] | |
5 | 77.78 m (255 ft 2 in) | 8 June 2018 | Chorzów | [6] | |
6 | 77.68 m (254 ft 101⁄4 in) | 29 March 2014 | Chengdu | ||
7 | 77.33 m (253 ft 81⁄4 in) | 28 September 2014 | Incheon | ||
8 | 77.32 m (253 ft 8 in) | 29 June 2008 | Minsk | ||
9 | 77.26 m (253 ft 51⁄2 in) | 12 June 2006 | Tula | ||
10 | 77.13 m (253 ft 01⁄2 in) | 30 June 2013 | Zhukovskiy | ||
11 | 76.90 m (252 ft 31⁄2 in) | 16 May 2009 | Trnava | ||
12 | 76.85 m (252 ft 11⁄2 in) | 26 August 2017 | Taipei | [7] | |
13 | 76.83 m (252 ft 03⁄4 in) | 11 May 2007 | Doha | ||
14 | 76.72 m (251 ft 81⁄4 in) | 23 June 2012 | Zhukovsky | ||
15 | 76.66 m (251 ft 6 in) | 23 June 2006 | Minsk | ||
16 | 76.63 m (251 ft 43⁄4 in) | 23 June 2006 | Zhukovsky | ||
17 | 76.62 m (251 ft 41⁄2 in) | 9 September 2008 | Zagreb | ||
18 | 76.56 m (251 ft 2 in) | 12 June 2012 | Minsk | ||
19 | 76.33 m (250 ft 5 in) | 29 June 2008 | Minsk | ||
20 | 76.26 m (250 ft 21⁄4 in) | 27 April 2018 | Brest | ||
21 | 76.21 m (250 ft 01⁄4 in) | 26 May 2007 | Sochi | ||
22 | 76.17 m (249 ft 103⁄4 in) | 24 July 2013 | Moscow | ||
23 | 76.07 m (249 ft 63⁄4 in) | 29 August 1999 | Rüdlingen | ||
24 | 76.05 m (249 ft 6 in) | 10 August 2012 | London | ||
25 | 75.73 m (248 ft 51⁄4 in) | 22 June 2013 | Des Moines | ||
22 May 2014 | Tucson |
Notes
Below is a list of throws equal or superior to 78.00 m:
- Anita Włodarczyk also threw 82.87 m (2017), 82.29 m (2016), 81.77 m (2016), 81.74 (2016), 81.63 m (2017), 81.27 m (2016), 81.08 m (2015), 80.85 m (2015), 80.79 m (2017), 80.73 m (2017), 80.69 m (2017), 80.42 m (2017), 80.40 m (2016), 80.31 m (2016), 80.26 m (2016), 79.80 m (2017), 79.73 m (2017), 79.72 m (2017), 79.68 m (2016, 2017), 79.67 m (2016), 79.63 m (2017), 79.62 m (2016), 79.61 m (2016), 79.59 m (2018), 79.58 m (2016), 79.48 m (2016), 79.45 m (2016), 79.39 m (2016), 79.27 m (2017), 79.23 m (2017), 79.07 m (2017), 79.06 m (2017), 78.94 m (2018), 78.76 m (2014), 78.74 m (2018), 78.69 m (2016), 78.59 m (2017), 78.55 m (2018), 78.54 m (2016), 78.52 m (2017), 78.46 m (2013), 78.35 m (2017), 78.30 m (2010), 78.28 m (2015), 78.24 m (2015), 78.22 m (2013), 78.17 m (2014), 78.16 m (2015), 78.14 m (2016), 78.10 (2016), 78.00 m (2017).
- Tatyana Lysenko also threw 78.51 m (2012) and 78.15 m (2013)
- Betty Heidler also threw 78.07 m (2012) and 78.00 m (2014).
Non-legal marks
The following athletes had their performances (over 77.00 m) annulled due to doping offences:
- Aksana Miankova (Belarus) 78.69 m and 78.19 m (both 2012)
- Gulfiya Agafonova (Russia) 77.36 m (2007)
Olympic medalists
Men
Women
World Championships medalists
Men
Women
Championships | Gold | Silver | Bronze |
---|---|---|---|
1999 Seville |
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2001 Edmonton |
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2003 Saint-Denis |
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2005 Helsinki |
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2007 Osaka |
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2009 Berlin |
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2011 Daegu |
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2013 Moscow |
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2015 Beijing |
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2017 London |
Season's bests
Men
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Women
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See also
Notes and references
- ↑ "Hammer Throw - Introduction". IAAF. Retrieved 12 December 2011.
- ↑ Phil Minshull (9 August 2015). "Fajdek throws 83.93m in Szczecin". IAAF. Retrieved 10 August 2015.
- ↑ "All-time women's best hammer throw". IAAF. 7 May 2017. Retrieved 7 May 2017.
- ↑ "Wlodarczyk extends hammer world record in Warsaw". IAAF. 28 August 2016. Retrieved 28 August 2016.
- ↑ Roy Jordan (24 June 2018). "Price breaks North American hammer record on third day of US Championships". IAAF. Retrieved 24 June 2018.
- ↑ Jon Mulkeen (8 June 2018). "Berry and Nowicki topple hammer favourites in Chorzow". IAAF. Retrieved 11 June 2018.
- ↑ "Women's Hammer Final Results" (PDF). 2017.taipei. 26 August 2017. Retrieved 26 August 2017.
- ↑ 2004 Olympic Hammer Throw Medalists. Olympic.org. Retrieved on 2014-04-19.
- 1 2 Engeler, Elaine (June 10, 2010). "CAS Reinstates Medals for Hammer Throwers". Yahoo! Sports. Associated Press. Retrieved 2010-06-15.