The javelin throw is one of the oldest recognized sports on the Olympic field. It was incorporated into the Ancient Greek Olympic Games in early 700BC and has been around ever since. Naturally, that’s a lot of time to gather accolades and historical moments.
Despite the long history of Javelin throwing, not every sports fan can cite their favorite javelin thrower. With any luck, this list of some of the most iconic javelin throwers will help change that.
Jan Zhelezny
When it comes to the greatest javelin throwers of all time, there’s always Jan Zelezny. He won the gold medal during 1992, 1996, and 2000 Summer Olympics. This is in addition to winning a silver in the 1988 Olympics. Zelezny has since retired, but his legend will always live on.
Breaux Greer
Breaux Greer is a retired American javelin thrower, and he holds one of the world records in the sport. He made it to the Olympics three times, earning the bronze medal once in 2007.
Johannes Vetter
Johannes Vetter is a German javelin thrower of world renown. His record is 94.44 meters. Johannes Vetter competed in the 2015 IAAF World Championships and the 2016 Summer Olympics. In both instances, he ranked high.
Neeraj Chopra
Neeraj Chopra is next on the list of iconic javelin throwers. Hailing from India, he made history by being the second Indian to earn the Olympic gold medal. He was the first to win the gold in track and field.
Thomas Rohler
Thomas Rohler is another iconic javelin thrower, again from Germany. His record throw is 93.90. He was the national champion in 2012, 2013, and 2015. Like the others on this list, he has attended many championships, including the 2013 World Championships and the 2016 Olympic Games.
Uwe Hohn
Uwe Hohn is another German athlete who also retired. His world record is 104.80 meters. His record will never be beat, as new javelin designs create records under different settings.
Nafissatou Thiam
Nafissatou Thiam is a Belgian javelin thrower. She has brought home two gold medals (2016 and 2020). She’s also the only Belgian athlete to defend the Olympic title. Nafissatou Thiam is one of two women to win back-to-back Olympic titles in javelin throwing.