Hammer Throw: A Complete Guide to the Fascinating Athletic Event

Introduction

The hammer throw is a captivating track and field event that showcases strength, technique, and precision. Rooted in history and celebrated in modern athletics, this event combines raw power with impeccable skill. Let’s dive into the world of hammer throw, exploring its origins, techniques, and its role in sports. The hammer throw is one of the four throwing events in regular outdoor 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. These three components are each separate and can move independently. Both the size and weight of the ball vary between men’s and women’s events. The women’s hammer weighs 4 kilograms (8.8 lb) for college and professional meets while the men’s hammer weighs 7.26 kilograms (16.0 lb).

History of Hammer Throw

The hammer throw has a rich heritage, originating from ancient Celtic cultures, where warriors hurled heavy weights as a demonstration of strength. It became a formalized sport in Scotland during the Middle Ages and was later included in the modern Olympic Games in 1900 for men and 2000 for women. The exact origins of the hammer throw are a mystery to modern historians. According to legend, at the Tailteann Games in Tara, Ireland, as far back as 2000 BC the Celtic warrior Culchulainn took a chariot axle with a wheel still attached and spun it around and hurled it. 

The wheel was later replaced by a rock with a wooden handle attached. A sledgehammer began to be used for the sport in Scotland and England during the Middle Ages. In current times, the hammer has changed to the more modern 7.26 kg ball attached to a wire and a handle, but the Scottish Highland Games still feature the older style of hammer throw with the rock and the solid wood handle.

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.

Equipment Used in Hammer Throw

The primary equipment in a hammer throw is the hammer, consisting of three parts:

1. Metal Ball: A heavy, spherical ball made of steel or other durable materials.
2. Wire: A steel cable that connects the ball to the grip.
3. Grip: A handle that the athlete holds during the throw.

For men, the hammer weighs 7.26 kg (16 lbs), while for women, it weighs 4 kg (8.8 lbs).

Competition

The men’s hammer weighs 7.26 kilograms (16.0 lb) and the women’s weighs 4 kg (8.8 lb), with the wire in either case no more than 122 centimetres (48 in) in length. Like the other throwing events, the competition is decided by who can throw the implement the farthest.

The throwing motion starts with the thrower swinging the hammer back-and-forth about two times to generate momentum. The thrower then makes three, four or (rarely) five full rotations using a complex heel-toe foot movement, spinning the hammer in a circular path and increasing its angular velocity with each rotation. Rather than spinning the hammer horizontally, it is instead spun in a plane that angles up towards the direction in which it will be launched. The thrower releases the hammer as its velocity is upward and toward the target.

Throws are made from a throwing circle. The thrower is not allowed to step outside the throwing circle before the hammer has landed and may only enter and exit from the rear of the throwing circle. The hammer must land within a 34.92º throwing sector that is centered on the throwing circle. The sector angle was chosen because it provides a sector whose bounds are easy to measure and lay out on a field (10 metres out from the center of the ring, 6 metres across). A violation of the rules results in a foul and the throw not being counted.

As of 2023 the men’s hammer world record is held by Yuriy Sedykh, who threw 86.74 m (284 ft 6+³⁄₄ 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 2+³⁄₄ in) during the Kamila Skolimowska Memorial on 28 August 2016. Sedykh’s 1986 world record has been noted for its longevity, and for dating from “a time when track and field was starting to realize the scale of performance-enhancing drug use” (AP). According to Russian doping whistleblower Grigory Rodchenkov, Sedykh was a heavy user of steroids, which Sedykh denied.

The throwing distance depends on the velocity and height at which the hammer is released, but also on other factors that are not under the athlete’s control. In particular, Earth’s rotation affects it via the location’s latitude (due to the centrifugal force, the hammer will fly a bit further in a location closer to the equator) and to a lesser extent also via the throw’s azimuth (i.e. its compass direction, due to Coriolis forces). According to a 2023 study, such effects are large enough that the top 20 world-record rankings for both men and women at the time could somewhat change if they were adjusted for latitude and azimuth.

Safety issues

Hammer throwing has been described as involving “inherent danger […]. Athletes, coaches, and spectators participating in the event are at risk; steel hammers […] are hurled through the air at great speeds, [travel] far distances, and [are] sometimes difficult to spot in flight.” For example, hammer throws resulted in four deaths in Europe in 2000 alone, and have caused deaths and permanent brain damage injuries in the United States too.

To mitigate such risks, a C-shaped “hammer cage” was introduced, which is built around the throwing circle, preventing the hammer from flying off in unwanted directions. In 2004, the IAAF changed its rules to increase the mandatory height of hammer cages to 10m and reduce their “danger zone” angle to around 53°. The change also moved the cage gates further away from the throwing circle, thus reducing the risk of a misdirected hammer bouncing back on the thrower.

Hammer Throw Technique

A successful hammer throw requires mastering the following steps:

1. Grip: Athletes securely hold the grip with both hands.
2. Preliminary Swings: They swing the hammer in a circular motion to build momentum.
3. Rotation: The thrower performs multiple spins inside the throwing circle to increase speed.
4. Release: At the optimal moment, the hammer is released into the air, aiming for maximum distance.

Proper footwork, balance, and timing are crucial for achieving a powerful throw.

Men

Correct as of April 2024.

Ath.#	Perf.#	Mark	Athlete	Nation	Date	Place	Ref.
1	1	86.74 m (284 ft 6 in)	Yuriy Sedykh	Soviet Union	30 August 1986	Stuttgart
	2	86.66 m (284 ft 3 in)	Sedykh #2		22 June 1986	Tallinn
	3	86.34 m (283 ft 3 in)	Sedykh #3		3 July 1984	Cork
2	4	86.04 m (282 ft 3 in)	Sergey Litvinov	Soviet Union	3 July 1986	Dresden
	5	85.74 m (281 ft 3 in)	Litvinov #2		30 August 1986	Stuttgart
	6	85.68 m (281 ft 1 in)	Sedykh #4		11 August 1986	Budapest
	7	85.60 m (280 ft 10 in)	Sedykh #5		13 July 1984	London
			Sedykh #6		17 August 1984	Moscow
	9	85.20 m (279 ft 6 in)	Litvinov #3		3 July 1984	Cork
	10	85.14 m (279 ft 3 in)	Litvinov #4		11 July 1986	London
			Sedykh #7		4 September 1988	Moscow
	12	85.02 m (278 ft 11 in)	Sedykh #8		20 August 1984	Budapest
	13	84.92 m (278 ft 7 in)	Sedykh #9		3 July 1986	Dresden
3	14	84.90 m (278 ft 6 in)	Vadim Devyatovskiy	Belarus	21 July 2005	Minsk
	15	84.88 m (278 ft 5 in)	Litvinov #5		10 September 1986	Rome
4	16	84.86 m (278 ft 4 in)	Koji Murofushi	Japan	29 June 2003	Prague
	17	84.80 m (278 ft 2 in)	Litvinov #6		26 September 1988	Seoul
	18	84.72 m (277 ft 11 in)	Sedykh #10		9 July 1986	Moscow
	19	84.64 m (277 ft 8 in)	Litvinov #7		9 July 1986	Moscow
5	20	84.62 m (277 ft 7 in)	Igor Astapkovich	Belarus	6 June 1992	Seville
	21	84.60 m (277 ft 6 in)	Sedykh #11		14 September 1984	Tokyo
	22	84.58 m (277 ft 5 in)	Sedykh #12		8 June 1986	Leningrad
6	23	84.51 m (277 ft 3 in)	Ivan Tsikhan	Belarus	9 July 2008	Grodno
7	24	84.48 m (277 ft 1 in)	Igor Nikulin	Soviet Union	12 July 1990	Lausanne
	25	84.46 m (277 ft 1 in)	Sedykh #13		14 September 1988	Vladivostok
			Tsikhan #2		7 May 2004	Minsk
8		84.40 m (276 ft 10 in)	Jüri Tamm	Soviet Union	9 September 1984	Banská Bystrica
9		84.38 m (276 ft 10 in)	Ethan Katzberg	Canada	20 April 2024	Nairobi
10		84.19 m (276 ft 2 in)	Adrián Annus	Hungary	10 August 2003	Szombathely
11		83.93 m (275 ft 4 in)	Paweł Fajdek	Poland	9 August 2015	Szczecin
12		83.68 m (274 ft 6 in)	Tibor Gécsek	Hungary	19 September 1998	Zalaegerszeg
13		83.46 m (273 ft 9 in)	Andrey Abduvaliyev	Soviet Union	26 May 1990	Adler
14		83.43 m (273 ft 8 in)	Aleksey Zagornyi	Russia	10 February 2002	Adler
15		83.40 m (273 ft 7 in)	Ralf Haber	East Germany	16 May 1988	Athens
16		83.38 m (273 ft 6 in)	Szymon Ziółkowski	Poland	5 August 2001	Edmonton
17		83.30 m (273 ft 3 in)	Olli-Pekka Karjalainen	Finland	14 July 2004	Lahti
18		83.04 m (272 ft 5 in)	Heinz Weis	Germany	29 June 1997	Frankfurt
19		83.00 m (272 ft 3 in)	Balázs Kiss	Hungary	4 June 1998	Saint-Denis
20		82.78 m (271 ft 7 in)	Karsten Kobs	Germany	26 June 1999	Dortmund
21		82.71 m (271 ft 4 in)	Rudy Winkler	United States	20 June 2021	Eugene
22		82.69 m (271 ft 3 in)	Krisztián Pars	Hungary	16 August 2014	Zürich
23		82.64 m (271 ft 1 in)	Günther Rodehau	East Germany	3 August 1985	Dresden
24		82.62 m (271 ft 0 in)	Sergey Kirmasov	Russia	30 May 1998	Bryansk
			Andriy Skvaruk	Ukraine	27 April 2002	Kyiv

Rules and Regulations

• Throwing Circle: Athletes must stay within a 2.135-meter-diameter circle during the throw.
• Sector: The hammer must land within a 34.92-degree angle sector.
• Fouls: Stepping out of the circle or improper release results in a foul throw.

Hammer Throw in Competitions

The hammer throw is a staple in major international athletics competitions, including the Olympics, World Championships, and Commonwealth Games. Notable athletes like Paweł Fajdek and Anita Włodarczyk have set incredible records, inspiring future generations.

Benefits of Training in Hammer Throw

Participating in hammer throw offers several physical and mental benefits:

• Strength Building: Enhances muscle strength and endurance.
• Coordination: Improves hand-eye coordination and balance.
• Discipline: Requires focus, consistency, and mental toughness.

Fun Facts About Hammer Throw

1. The term “hammer” doesn’t refer to a construction tool but derives from the resemblance of the throwing motion.
2. The longest hammer throw record is 86.74 meters, set by Yuriy Sedykh in 1986.

Women

• Correct as of May 2024.

Ath.#	Perf.#	Mark	Athlete	Nation	Date	Place	Ref.
1	1	82.98 m (272 ft 2 in)	Anita Włodarczyk	Poland	28 August 2016	Warsaw
	2	82.87 m (271 ft 10 in)	Włodarczyk #2		29 July 2017	Władysławowo
	3	82.29 m (269 ft 11 in)	Włodarczyk #3		15 August 2016	Rio de Janeiro
	4	81.08 m (266 ft 0 in)	Włodarczyk #4		1 August 2015	Władysławowo
	5	80.85 m (265 ft 3 in)	Włodarczyk #5		27 August 2015	Beijing
	6	80.79 m (265 ft 0 in)	Włodarczyk #6		23 July 2017	Białystok
2	7	80.31 m (263 ft 5 in)	DeAnna Price	United States	26 June 2021	Eugene
	8	80.26 m (263 ft 3 in)	Włodarczyk #7		12 July 2016	Władysławowo
3	9	80.16 m (262 ft 11 in)	Brooke Andersen	United States	20 May 2023	Tucson
	10	79.92 m (262 ft 2 in)	Andersen #2		4 May 2024	Tucson
	11	79.80 m (261 ft 9 in)	Włodarczyk #8		15 August 2017	Warsaw
			Andersen #3		20 April 2023	Charlottesville
	13	79.73 m (261 ft 6 in)	Włodarczyk #9		6 May 2017	Doha
	14	79.72 m (261 ft 6 in)	Włodarczyk #10		27 June 2017	Ostrava
	15	79.61 m (261 ft 2 in)	Włodarczyk #11		18 June 2016	Szczecin
	16	79.59 m (261 ft 1 in)	Włodarczyk #12		22 July 2018	Lublin
	17	79.58 m (261 ft 1 in)	Włodarczyk #13		31 August 2014	Berlin
	18	79.48 m (260 ft 9 in)	Włodarczyk #14		21 May 2016	Halle
	19	79.45 m (260 ft 7 in)	Włodarczyk #15		29 May 2016	Forbach
4	20	79.42 m (260 ft 6 in)	Betty Heidler	Germany	21 May 2011	Halle
	21	79.02 m (259 ft 3 in)	Andersen #4		30 April 2022	Tucson
	22	78.96 m (259 ft 0 in)	Andersen #5		17 July 2022	Eugene
	23	78.94 m (258 ft 11 in)	Włodarczyk #16		12 August 2018	Berlin
	24	78.79 m (258 ft 5 in)	Andersen #6		6 June 2023	Bydgoszcz
	25	78.76 m (258 ft 4 in)	Włodarczyk #17		15 August 2014	Zürich
5		78.62 m (257 ft 11 in)	Camryn Rogers	Canada	26 May 2023	Westwood
6		78.51 m (257 ft 6 in)	Tatyana Lysenko	Russia	5 July 2012	Cheboksary
7		78.00 m (255 ft 10 in)	Janee’ Kassanavoid	United States	21 May 2022	Tucson
8		77.78 m (255 ft 2 in)	Gwen Berry	United States	8 June 2018	Chorzów
9		77.68 m (254 ft 10 in)	Wang Zheng	China	29 March 2014	Chengdu
10		77.33 m (253 ft 8 in)	Zhang Wenxiu	China	28 September 2014	Incheon
11		77.32 m (253 ft 8 in)	Aksana Miankova	Belarus	29 June 2008	Minsk
12		77.26 m (253 ft 5 in)	Gulfiya Agafonova	Russia	12 June 2006	Tula
13		77.13 m (253 ft 0 in)	Oksana Kondratyeva	Russia	30 June 2013	Zhukovskiy
14		77.10 m (252 ft 11 in)	Hanna Skydan	Azerbaijan	23 August 2023	Budapest
15		76.90 m (252 ft 3 in)	Martina Hrašnová	Slovakia	16 May 2009	Trnava
16		76.85 m (252 ft 1 in)	Malwina Kopron	Poland	26 August 2017	Taipei City
17		76.83 m (252 ft 0 in)	Kamila Skolimowska	Poland	11 May 2007	Doha
18		76.72 m (251 ft 8 in)	Mariya Bespalova	Russia	23 June 2012	Zhukovsky
19		76.66 m (251 ft 6 in)	Volha Tsander	Belarus	21 July 2005	Minsk
20		76.63 m (251 ft 4 in)	Yekaterina Khoroshikh	Russia	24 June 2006	Zhukovsky
21		76.62 m (251 ft 4 in)	Yipsi Moreno	Cuba	9 September 2008	Zagreb
22		76.56 m (251 ft 2 in)	Alena Matoshka	Belarus	12 June 2012	Minsk
23		76.35 m (250 ft 5 in)	Joanna Fiodorow	Poland	28 September 2019	Doha
24		76.33 m (250 ft 5 in)	Darya Pchelnik	Belarus	29 June 2008	Minsk
25		76.26 m (250 ft 2 in)	Hanna Malyshik	Belarus	27 April 2018	Brest

Conclusion

The hammer throw is not just about brute strength; it’s a harmonious blend of technique, speed, and strategy. Whether you’re a sports enthusiast or an aspiring athlete, understanding this dynamic event offers a glimpse into the sheer dedication and skill of its competitors. With its rich history and exciting nature, hammer throw continues to captivate audiences worldwide.