# Javelin throw at the World Athletics Championships

The javelin throw at the World Athletics Championships has been contested by both men and women since the inaugural edition in 1983. The competition format typically has one qualifying round contested by two groups of athletes, with all those clearing the automatic qualifying distance or placing in top twelve overall advancing to the final round.
Overall, the Czech Republic has been the most successful nation in the event, winning 7 gold medals in total and 13 medals overall. Germany has won the most medals out of any country, with 18 medals in total, including 5 golds. Norway is the only country aside from the Czech Republic and Germany to have won gold medals in both the men's and the women's event. Finland has seen significant success in the men's event, topping the men's medal table with 4 golds and 9 medals overall.
Jan Železný is the most successful and most decorated athlete in the event, having won 5 medals in total, including 3 golds. His compatriot Barbora Špotáková is the most successful female athlete, with 3 medals in total, all of them gold.Christina Obergföll and Steffi Nerius are the most decorated female athletes, with 4 medals in total.
The championship records for the event are 92.80 m for men, set by Železný in 2001, and 71.70 m for women, set by Osleidys Menéndez in 2015.
Additionally, Menéndez' championship record throw was also the only time the world record was broken at the championships.

## Age records

* All information from World Athletics.
| Distinction | Male | Male | Male | Female | Female | Female |
| Distinction | Athlete | Age | Date | Athlete | Age | Date |
| Youngest champion | Marius Corbett (RSA) | 21 years, 313 days | 5 Aug 1997 | Osleidys Menéndez (CUB) | 21 years, 265 days | 6 Aug 2001 |
| Youngest medalist | Jan Železný (CZE) | 21 years, 75 days | 30 Aug 1987 | Mikaela Ingberg (FIN) | 21 years, 10 days | 8 Aug 1995 |
| Youngest finalist | Aleksandr Ivanov (RUS) | 19 years, 79 days | 12 Aug 2001 | Osleidys Menéndez (CUB) | 17 years, 268 days | 9 Aug 1997 |
| Youngest participant | Kim Jae-sang (KOR) | 18 years, 340 days | 29 Aug 1987 | Liang Lili (CHN) | 15 years 283 days | 26 Aug 1999 |
| Oldest champion | Jan Železný (CZE) | 35 years, 57 days | 12 Aug 2001 | Steffi Nerius (GER) | 37 years, 48 days | 18 Aug 2009 |
| Oldest medalist | Jan Železný (CZE) | 35 years, 57 days | 12 Aug 2001 | Steffi Nerius (GER) | 37 years, 48 days | 18 Aug 2009 |
| Oldest finalist | Peter Blank (GER) | 41 years, 193 days | 31 Aug 2003 | Laverne Eve (BAH) | 40 years, 59 days | 14 Aug 2005 |
| Oldest participant | Peter Blank (GER) | 41 years, 193 days | 31 Aug 2003 | Laverne Eve (BAH) | 42 years, 74 days | 29 Aug 2007 |

## Medalists
### Men

| Championships | Gold | Silver | Bronze |

#### Medalists by country

| Rank | Nation | Gold | Silver | Bronze | Total |
| 1 | Finland (FIN) | 4 | 4 | 1 | 9 |
| 2 | Czech Republic (CZE) | 4 | 1 | 4 | 9 |
| 3 | Germany (GER) | 2 | 0 | 3 | 5 |
| 4 | Grenada (GRN) | 2 | 0 | 0 | 2 |
| 5 | Norway (NOR) | 1 | 3 | 0 | 4 |
| 6 | Estonia (EST) | 1 | 2 | 0 | 3 |
| 7 | India (IND) | 1 | 1 | 0 | 2 |
| 8 | Russia (RUS) | 1 | 0 | 2 | 3 |
| 9 | East Germany (GDR) | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
| 9 | Kenya (KEN) | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
| 9 | South Africa (RSA) | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
| 12 | Great Britain (GBR) | 0 | 2 | 1 | 3 |
| 13 | Greece (GRE) | 0 | 1 | 2 | 3 |
| 13 | Soviet Union (URS) | 0 | 1 | 2 | 3 |
| 15 | Cuba (CUB) | 0 | 1 | 1 | 2 |
| 15 | United States (USA) | 0 | 1 | 1 | 2 |
| 17 | Egypt (EGY) | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 |
| 17 | Pakistan (PAK) | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 |
| 19 | Czechoslovakia (TCH) | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 |
| 19 | Japan (JPN) | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 |
| Totals (20 entries) | Totals (20 entries) | 19 | 19 | 19 | 57 |

#### Multiple medalists

| Rank | Athlete | Nation | Period | Gold | Silver | Bronze | Total |
| 1 | Jan Železný | Czechoslovakia (TCH) Czech Republic (CZE) | 1987-2001 | 3 | 0 | 2 | 5 |
| 2 | Anderson Peters | Grenada (GRN) | 2019-2022 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 2 |
| 3 | Andreas Thorkildsen | Norway (NOR) | 2005-2011 | 1 | 3 | 0 | 4 |
| 4 | Tero Pitkämäki | Finland (FIN) | 2007-2015 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 3 |
| 5 | Seppo Räty | Finland (FIN) | 1987-1991 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 2 |
| 5 | Kimmo Kinnunen | Finland (FIN) | 1991-1993 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 2 |
| 5 | Aki Parviainen | Finland (FIN) | 1999-2001 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 2 |
| 5 | Andrus Värnik | Estonia (EST) | 2003-2005 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 2 |
| 5 | Neeraj Chopra | India (IND) | 2022-2023 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 2 |
| 10 | Sergey Makarov | Russia (RUS) | 2003-2005 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 2 |
| 10 | Johannes Vetter | Germany (GER) | 2017-2019 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 2 |
| 12 | Steve Backley | Great Britain (GBR) | 1995-1997 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 2 |
| 13 | Konstadinos Gatsioudis | Greece (GRE) | 1997-2001 | 0 | 1 | 2 | 3 |
| 13 | Jakub Vadlejch | Czech Republic (CZE) | 2017-2023 | 0 | 1 | 2 | 3 |
| 15 | Guillermo Martínez | Cuba (CUB) | 2009-2011 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 2 |
| 16 | Boris Henry | Germany (GER) | 1995-2003 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 2 |

### Women

| Championships | Gold | Silver | Bronze |

#### Medalists by country

| Rank | Nation | Gold | Silver | Bronze | Total |
| 1 | Germany (GER) | 3 | 4 | 6 | 13 |
| 2 | Czech Republic (CZE) | 3 | 1 | 0 | 4 |
| 3 | Australia (AUS) | 2 | 2 | 1 | 5 |
| 4 | Greece (GRE) | 2 | 1 | 1 | 4 |
| 5 | Cuba (CUB) | 2 | 0 | 1 | 3 |
| 5 | Norway (NOR) | 2 | 0 | 1 | 3 |
| 7 | China (CHN) | 1 | 3 | 2 | 6 |
| 8 | Great Britain (GBR) | 1 | 1 | 0 | 2 |
| 9 | Belarus (BLR) | 1 | 0 | 1 | 2 |
| 9 | Finland (FIN) | 1 | 0 | 1 | 2 |
| 9 | Japan (JPN) | 1 | 0 | 1 | 2 |
| 12 | Russia (RUS) | 0 | 2 | 2 | 4 |
| 13 | South Africa (RSA) | 0 | 1 | 1 | 2 |
| 14 | Colombia (COL) | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 |
| 14 | East Germany (GDR) | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 |
| 14 | Romania (ROU) | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 |
| 14 | United States (USA) | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 |
| 18 | West Germany (FRG) | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 |
| Totals (18 entries) | Totals (18 entries) | 19 | 19 | 19 | 57 |

#### Multiple medalists

| Rank | Athlete | Nation | Period | Gold | Silver | Bronze | Total |
| 1 | Barbora Špotáková | Czech Republic (CZE) | 2007-2017 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 3 |
| 2 | Trine Solberg-Hattestad | Norway (NOR) | 1993-1999 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 3 |
| 2 | Mirena Maniani | Greece (GRE) | 1999-2003 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 3 |
| 4 | Osleidys Menéndez | Cuba (CUB) | 2001-2005 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 2 |
| 4 | Kelsey-Lee Barber | Australia (AUS) | 2019-2022 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 2 |
| 6 | Christina Obergföll | Germany (GER) | 2005-2013 | 1 | 2 | 1 | 4 |
| 7 | Fatima Whitbread | Great Britain (GBR) | 1983-1987 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 2 |
| 8 | Steffi Nerius | Germany (GER) | 2003-2009 | 1 | 0 | 3 | 4 |
| 9 | Natalya Shikolenko | Belarus (BLR) | 1993-1995 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 2 |
| 9 | Haruka Kitaguchi | Japan (JPN) | 2022-2023 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 2 |
| 11 | Petra Felke-Meier | East Germany (GDR) Germany (GER) | 1987-1991 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 2 |
| 11 | Tatyana Shikolenko | Russia (RUS) | 1999-2003 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 2 |
| 13 | Lü Huihui | China (CHN) | 2015-2019 | 0 | 1 | 2 | 3 |
| 14 | Sunette Viljoen | South Africa (RSA) | 2011-2015 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 2 |

### Combined medal table

| Rank | Nation | Gold | Silver | Bronze | Total |
| 1 | Czech Republic (CZE) | 7 | 2 | 4 | 13 |
| 2 | Germany (GER) | 5 | 4 | 9 | 18 |
| 3 | Finland (FIN) | 5 | 4 | 2 | 11 |
| 4 | Norway (NOR) | 3 | 3 | 1 | 7 |
| 5 | Greece (GRE) | 2 | 2 | 3 | 7 |
| 6 | Australia (AUS) | 2 | 2 | 1 | 5 |
| 7 | Cuba (CUB) | 2 | 1 | 2 | 5 |
| 8 | Grenada (GRN) | 2 | 0 | 0 | 2 |
| 9 | China (CHN) | 1 | 3 | 2 | 6 |
| 10 | Great Britain (GBR) | 1 | 3 | 1 | 5 |
| 11 | Russia (RUS) | 1 | 2 | 4 | 7 |
| 12 | Estonia (EST) | 1 | 2 | 0 | 3 |
| 13 | South Africa (RSA) | 1 | 1 | 1 | 3 |
| 14 | East Germany (GDR) | 1 | 1 | 0 | 2 |
| 14 | India (IND) | 1 | 1 | 0 | 2 |
| 16 | Japan (JPN) | 1 | 0 | 2 | 3 |
| 17 | Belarus (BLR) | 1 | 0 | 1 | 2 |
| 18 | Kenya (KEN) | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
| 19 | United States (USA) | 0 | 2 | 1 | 3 |
| 20 | Soviet Union (URS) | 0 | 1 | 2 | 3 |
| 21 | Colombia (COL) | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 |
| 21 | Egypt (EGY) | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 |
| 21 | Pakistan (PAK) | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 |
| 21 | Romania (ROU) | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 |
| 25 | Czechoslovakia (TCH) | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 |
| 25 | West Germany (FRG) | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 |
| Totals (26 entries) | Totals (26 entries) | 38 | 38 | 38 | 114 |

## Championship record progression
### Men

Old model (up until 1986-06-01) :
| Mark | Athlete | Nation | Year | Round | Date |
| 88.86 m | Klaus Tafelmeier | West Germany (FRG) | 1983 | Qualification | 1983-08-10 |
| 90.40 m | Detlef Michel | East Germany (GDR) | 1983 | Qualification | 1983-08-10 |
Renewed model (1986-06-01 – 1991-11-18) :
| Mark | Athlete | Nation | Year | Round | Date |
| 82.10 m | Viktor Yevsyukov | Soviet Union (URS) | 1987 | Qualification | 1987-08-29 |
| 82.20 m | Jan Železný | Czechoslovakia (TCH) | 1987 | Final | 1987-08-30 |
| 82.32 m | Seppo Räty | Finland (FIN) | 1987 | Final | 1987-08-30 |
| 82.52 m | Viktor Yevsyukov | Soviet Union (URS) | 1987 | Final | 1987-08-30 |
| 83.54 m | Seppo Räty | Finland (FIN) | 1987 | Final | 1987-08-30 |
| 90.82 m | Kimmo Kinnunen | Finland (FIN) | 1991 | Final | 1991-08-26 |
Current model (1991-11-18 – present) :
| Mark | Athlete | Nation | Year | Round | Date |
| 74.10 m | Colin MacKenzie | Great Britain (GBR) | 1993 | Qualification | 1993-08-15 |
| 81.04 m | Dmitriy Polyunin | Uzbekistan (UZB) | 1993 | Qualification | 1993-08-15 |
| 83.22 m | Jan Železný | Czech Republic (CZE) | 1993 | Qualification | 1993-08-15 |
| 84.78 m | Kimmo Kinnunen | Finland (FIN) | 1993 | Final | 1993-08-16 |
| 85.98 m | Jan Železný | Czech Republic (CZE) | 1993 | Final | 1993-08-16 |
| 87.60 m | Boris Henry | Germany (GER) | 1995 | Final | 1993-08-13 |
| 89.58 m | Jan Železný | Czech Republic (CZE) | 1995 | Final | 1993-08-13 |
| 91.31 m | Aki Parviainen | Finland (FIN) | 2001 | Final | 2001-08-12 |
| 92.80 m | Jan Železný | Czech Republic (CZE) | 2001 | Final | 2001-08-12 |

### Women

Old model (up until 1999-04-01) :
| Mark | Athlete | Nation | Year | Round | Date |
| 64.80 m | Tessa Sanderson | Great Britain (GBR) | 1983 | Qualification | 1983-08-12 |
| 68.50 m | Anna Verouli | Greece (GRE) | 1983 | Qualification | 1983-08-12 |
| 69.16 m | Tiina Lillak | Finland (FIN) | 1983 | Qualification | 1983-08-12 |
| 70.82 m | Tiina Lillak | Finland (FIN) | 1983 | Final | 1983-08-13 |
| 73.16 m | Fatima Whitbread | Great Britain (GBR) | 1987 | Final | 1987-09-06 |
| 76.64 m | Fatima Whitbread | Great Britain (GBR) | 1987 | Final | 1987-09-06 |
Current model (1999-04-01 – present) :
| Mark | Athlete | Nation | Year | Round | Date |
| 61.78 m | Tatyana Shikolenko | Russia (RUS) | 1999 | Qualification | 1999-08-26 |
| 62.07 m | Osleidys Menéndez | Cuba (CUB) | 1999 | Qualification | 1999-08-26 |
| 62.67 m | Trine Solberg-Hattestad | Norway (NOR) | 1999 | Qualification | 1999-08-26 |
| 63.83 m | Oksana Ovchinnikova | Russia (RUS) | 1999 | Qualification | 1999-08-26 |
| 64.61 m | Osleidys Menéndez | Cuba (CUB) | 1999 | Final | 1999-08-28 |
| 66.06 m | Trine Solberg-Hattestad | Norway (NOR) | 1999 | Final | 1999-08-28 |
| 66.33 m | Mirela Tzelili | Greece (GRE) | 1999 | Final | 1999-08-28 |
| 67.09 m | Mirela Tzelili | Greece (GRE) | 1999 | Final | 1999-08-28 |
| 69.53 m | Osleidys Menéndez | Cuba (CUB) | 2001 | Final | 2001-08-06 |
| 71.70 m WR | Osleidys Menéndez | Cuba (CUB) | 2005 | Final | 2005-08-14 |
| 71.99 m$^1$ | Maria Abakumova | Russia (RUS) | 2011 | Final | 2011-09-02 |
$^1$Subsequently disqualified after failing a doping test.

## Best performances
### Top ten furthest World Championship throws$^1$

Furthest men's throws at the World Championships (current model) :
| Rank | Distance (m) | Athlete | Nation | Year | Date |
| 1 | 92.80 m | Jan Železný | Czech Republic | 2001 | 2001-08-12 |
| 2 | 92.72 m | Julius Yego | Kenya | 2015 | 2015-08-26 |
| 3 | 91.31 m | Aki Parviainen | Finland | 2001 | 2001-08-12 |
| 4 | 91.20 m | Johannes Vetter | Germany | 2017$^Q$ | 2017-08-10 |
| 5 | 90.76 m | Jan Železný | Czech Republic | 2001$^Q$ | 2001-08-10 |
| 6 | 90.54 m | Anderson Peters | Grenada | 2022 | 2022-07-23 |
| 7 | 90.33 m | Tero Pitkämäki | Finland | 2007 | 2007-09-02 |
| 8 | 89.91 m | Anderson Peters | Grenada | 2022$^Q$ | 2022-07-21 |
| 9 | 89.89 m | Johannes Vetter | Germany | 2017 | 2017-08-12 |
| 10 | 89.73 m | Jakub Vadlejch | Czech Republic | 2017 | 2017-08-12 |
Furthest women's throws at the World Championships (current model) :
| Rank | Distance (m) | Athlete | Nation | Year | Date |
| 1 | 71.70 m | Osleidys Menéndez | Cuba | 2005 | 2005-08-14 |
| 2 | 71.58 m | Barbora Špotáková | Czech Republic | 2011 | 2011-09-02 |
| 3 | 70.03 m | Christina Obergföll | Germany | 2005 | 2005-08-14 |
| 4 | 69.53 m | Osleidys Menéndez | Cuba | 2001 | 2001-08-06 |
| 5 | 69.09 m | Mariya Abakumova | Russia | 2013$^Q$ | 2013-08-16 |
| 6 | 69.05 m | Christina Obergföll | Germany | 2013 | 2013-08-18 |
| 7 | 68.76 m | Christina Obergföll | Germany | 2011 | 2011-09-01 |
| 8 | 68.38 m | Sunette Viljoen | South Africa | 2011$^Q$ | 2011-09-02 |
| 9 | 67.69 m | Katharina Molitor | Germany | 2015 | 2015-08-30 |
| 10 | 67.59 m | Lü Huihui | China | 2017 | 2017-08-06 |
$^1$Does not include ancillary marks