Hammer throw

Lore & Background

Tradition traces the hammer throw to the Tailteann Games in Tara, Ireland, around 1830 BC. The Celtic warrior Culchulainn reputedly took a chariot axle with a wheel still attached, spun it around and hurled it a long way. The wheel was later replaced by a rock with a wooden handle attached, and a sledgehammer began to be used in Scotland and England during the Middle Ages. The modern hammer consists of a metal ball attached by a steel wire to a grip, though the Scottish hammer throw as seen in Highland Games still features the older style with a rock and solid wood handle.

Reader's Guide

The hammer throw is one of four throwing events in track and field, distinguished by its unique implement and rotational technique. The men's hammer has been part of the Olympics since 1900, while women's hammer throw was first included in the 2000 Summer Games. The competition involves a thrower swinging the hammer in a circular path from a throwing circle, with the implement released into a 34.92° sector. The men's world record of 86.74 m, set by Yuriy Sedykh in 1986, 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. According to Russian doping whistleblower Grigory Rodchenkov, Sedykh was a heavy user of steroids, which Sedykh denied. The event has safety concerns, leading to the introduction of a C-shaped hammer cage to prevent misdirected throws. The throwing distance can be affected by Earth's rotation via latitude and azimuth, with a 2023 study suggesting that top world-record rankings could change if adjusted for these factors.

Did You Know?

• The men's hammer weighs 7.26 kg (16 lb) and the women's weighs 4 kg (8.8 lb).
• The hammer throw traces its origins to the Tailteann Games in Tara, Ireland, around 1830 BC.
• The throwing sector angle of 34.92° was chosen because it provides bounds easy to measure (10 m out, 6 m across).
• The men's world record of 86.74 m by Yuriy Sedykh has stood since 1986 and is associated with doping allegations.