Hammer Throw for Men at Olympics

Hammer Throw for Men at Olympics: Hammer throw is a throwing event included in the field athletics discipline at the international level. In the hammer throwing event, the athletes are required to throw a heavy ball fixed to a handle with a wire. The ball is generally made from steel. The handle is also known as the "grip". In the earlier days of the game, a real hammer was thrown by the competitors in the event. The competitors throw the hammer from the front part of the circular throwing area. The angle of release and the velocity of the ball are the key factors for success in the hammer throw event. The distance covered by the hammer is measured to decide the winner of the event.

Hammer Throw for Men in Summer Olympics: Hammer throw event for men was introduced to the Olympic program at the 1900 Paris Summer Games. Since that time, the event has always been held in the Olympic athletic competition. The United States of America was the leading figure in the event during the early twentieth century. However, Russia emerged as the dominant nation in the hammer throw event in the later years.

Rules for Hammer Throw for Men at Olympics: The rules followed in the international track and field athletics competitions are set by the International Association of Athletics Federations or IAAF. The rules applicable for the hammer throw competitions are-

The weight of the steel ball used in the hammer throw event is fixed by the IAAF.

The length of the wire and the material from which it should be made is specified by the IAAF.

An athlete is not allowed to leave the throwing area until the hammer thrown by him touches ground in the landing area. Without the permission of the judge, no competitor can exit the field.

The body movement of the athletes during and after the throw is specified by the IAAF.

A certain number of throws is allowed to each competitor. The best throws of the athletes are compared to determine the winner of the event.

The second best throw is measured to break a tie between two athletes.

Medal Winners in the Hammer Throw for Men: Yuriy Sedykh, Koji Murofushi, Szymon Ziolkowski, Balazs Kiss, Andrey Abduvaliyev, Sergey Litvinov, Juha Tiainen, Anatoly Bondarchuck, Gyula Zsivotzky, Romuald Klim, Vasily Rudenkov, Harold Vincent Connolly, Jozsef Csermak, Imre NemethKarl Hein, Pat O'Callaghan, Fred Tootell, Patrick Ryan, Matt McGrath and John Jesus Flanagan are some of the famous names in the domain of the international hammer throwing competitions.

Trivia: At the 1956 Melbourne Summer Games, the American athlete Harold Vincent Connolly won the Olympic hammer throwing title. He won the gold medal in spite of being physically disabled. His left arm was shorter and less developed than his right arm. With this achievement, Connolly made a mark in the history of the Summer Games.

Track events

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Obsolete Track and Field athletic events