After India’s Neeraj Chopra logged an 89.34-meter distance with his javelin, achieving his season’s best throw, everyone was awestruck watching India’s golden boy dominate with his javelin storm. He qualified for the final round in one go at the Paris Olympics 2024 and stood out in his group.
However, apart from him, there have been several others who have mesmerized the crowd with their remarkable performances in the past. Names like Jan Zelezny and Johannes Vetter continue to be the talk of the town. The list may not be long, but it is enough to show how popular the javelin throw event is.
As Neeraj Chopra aims for gold on August 8, let’s take a look at a few top-quality javelin throwers who hold the world records for throwing the javelin the farthest.
Men’s javelin throw records
| Distance | Athlete | Meet | Year |
|---|---|---|---|
| 98.48m (WR) | Jan Zelezny (Czechia) | Jena Zeiss Meeting (Germany) | 1996 |
| 97.76m | Johannes Vetter (Germany) | Continental Tour Gold (Poland) | 2020 |
| 96.29m | Johannes Vetter (Germany) | European Athletics Team Championships (Poland) | 2021 |
| 95.66m | Jan Zelezny (Czechia) | Sheffield Athletics Meet (UK) | 1993 |
| 95.54m | Jan Zelezny (Czechia) | Pietersburg Athletics Meet (South Africa) | 1993 |
Jan Zelezny
It was the Czech Republic’s Jan Zelezny who set the world record four times and also has three Olympic gold medals to his name. He still holds the world record in the javelin event. Rolling back to 1996, at the athletics meet in Germany, he threw an impressive 98.48 meters, setting this record.
Although very few people know, he regretted his first two attempts, which are still among the best in modern javelin history. In his initial attempts, the Czech veteran threw 87.76 meters and then 92.88 meters. However, his consistency and strength led him to break the record, which remains unbeaten by any athlete in the javelin world event.
Johannes Vetter
The only man who challenged the Czech ace was Germany’s Johannes Vetter, and not just once but twice. First, with a 97.76-meter throw in 2020 at the Continental Tour Gold in Poland, and then with a mammoth 96.29-meter throw at the European Athletics Team Championships. These were the only times the record was threatened by Vetter, the greatest javelin thrower ever.
However, in recent years, Vetter has struggled with injuries, especially after winning bronze at the Doha World Championships. Foot surgery and shoulder pain have affected his performance, leading to his absence from many events. He failed to qualify for the Paris Olympics 2024, participating in only one event this year.
Neeraj Chopra longest throws
| Throw | Competition | Date |
|---|---|---|
| 89.94m | Stockholm Diamond League 2022 | June 30, 2022 |
| 89.34m | Paris 2024 Olympics – Q | August 6, 2024 |
| 89.30m | Paavo Nurmi Games (Turku) | June 14, 2022 |
| 89.08m | Lausanne Diamond League 2022 | August 26, 2022 |
| 88.88m | Asian Games 2023 (Hangzhou) | October 4, 2023 |
