Track-and-field sport of throwing a wooden or metal spear for distance. It is hurled after a short run and must land point-first. The men's javelin is 8.5 ft (260 cm) long, the women's 7.2 ft (220 cm). Included in the ancient Greek Olympic Games as part of the pentathlon, the javelin throw has been part of the modern Olympic program since its inception in 1896. A women's event was added in 1932. Seealso decathlon; heptathlon.
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Athletic event in which a hammer is thrown for distance. The hammer consists of a 16-lb (7.26-kg) metal ball attached to a spring steel wire handle that measures not more than 4 ft (1.2 m) in length. The thrower makes three full, quick turns of the body before flinging the hammer. The sport developed centuries ago in the British Isles; it has been a regular part of track-and-field competitions there since 1866 and an Olympic sport since 1900.
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Track-and-field sport of hurling for distance a disk-shaped object known as a discus. The discus is 8.6 in. (219 mm) in diameter and is thicker in the centre than at the perimeter; it must weigh at least 4.4 lbs (2 kg) for men's events, 2.2 lbs (1 kg) for women's. It is thrown by means of a whirling movement made by the athlete within a circle 8.2 ft (2.5 m) in diameter. The sport dates back to the ancient Greek Olympics.
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