Landmarks
First official world record: 62.32 Eric Lemming SWE 1912
First over 70m: 71.01 Erik Lundqvist SWE 1928
First over 80m: 80.41 Bud Held USA 1953
First over 90m: 91.72 Terje Pedersen NOR 1964
First over 100m: 104.80 Uwe Hohn GDR 1984

With current specification javelin:
First over 90m: 91.46 Steve Backley GBR 1992

Subsequent record progression:
95.54 & 95.66 Ján Zelezny CZE 1993
98.48 Ján Zelezny 1996

Most durable world record: 78.70 Yrjö Nikkanen FIN 1938 (14 years)
Most competitions over 90m (current specification): Ján Zelezny 30 (as at 7 Sep 2000)

 

Superlatives

Most Olympic titles: 3 Eric Lemming 1906/1908/1912
Most World titles: 2 Ján Zelezny 1993/1995
Youngest Olympic/World champion: Erik Lundqvist 1928 (20) Oldest: Tapio Rautavaara FIN 1948 (33)
 

Three all time greats

Matti Järvinen (FIN): Son of the 1906 Olympic Greek-style discus champion, he raised the world record from 71.01 to 77.23m during the thirties and struck Olympic gold in1932.
Janis Lusis (URS): The Latvian won four European titles between 1962 and 1971, gained a complete set of Olympic medals (gold in 1968) and set two world records.
Jan Zelezny
Ján Zelezny (CZE)
: The current world record holder, also an Olympic and world title winner, was so dominant in 1995 that he was responsible for 21 of the 22 throws that year over 89m.

Javelin Throw
Men Landmarks
Women Landmarks
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