keihäänheitto

Keihäänheitto, meaning "javelin throw" in Finnish, is a track and field event in which competitors throw a javelin as far as possible. It is contested by both men and women and is a core part of athletics programs and major competitions such as the Olympic Games and the World Athletics Championships.

Equipment and rules: Official competition uses standardized javelins. For men the javelin typically weighs about 800 grams and is around 2.6–2.7 meters long; for women it weighs about 600 grams and is around 2.2–2.3 meters long. Throws are made from a runway into a throwing sector of 28.5 degrees. The javelin must land tip-first within the sector to be valid. A foul occurs if the thrower steps over the front edge of the runway during the throw or if the javelin lands outside the sector. Distances are measured from the point where the javelin first touches the ground within the sector to the throwing line along the sector.

Technique: A successful keihäänheitto combines a running approach, a controlled withdrawal, and a release that accelerates the javelin with hip and shoulder rotation. The release generally occurs at a high speed and from an angle that optimizes distance, typically around 30–36 degrees.

History and records: Modern javelin throwing was added to the Olympic program for men in 1908 and for women in 1932. The sport has undergone equipment redesigns to regulate distances: the men's javelin was redesigned in 1986 and the women's in 1999. The official world records are 98.48 meters for men (Jan Železný, 1996) and 72.28 meters for women (Barbora Špotáková, 2008).

Geographically, keihäänheitto is strongly associated with Finland, which has produced many successful throwers and maintains a robust club and school system around the discipline.