Uwe Hohn with his gold medal after winning the 1982 European Javelin Championship.
Hohn is the only athlete to throw a javelin more than 100 meters, with his
world record of 104.80 m (343 ft 93⁄4 in), thrown on 20 July 1984
Hohn's incredible throw had shattered the previous world standard of 99.72 meters
set by Tom Petranoff of the United States in May 1983. Contrary to a popular myth
this was not the primary reason for the change in javelin design rules that came
into force starting in 1986. Flat landings of the implement forced the change in design to make
the javelin land point first.
In 1996 Jan Železný threw 98.48 m (323 ft 1 in) a world record that lasted over twenty years.
| |
|
Speer Endrunde {Männer}
1982 Europameisterschaft Athletik.
|
| 1. Uwe HOHN |
|
GDR |
|
91.34m. |
| 2. Heino PUUSTE |
|
URS |
|
89.56m. |
| 3. Detlef MICHEL |
|
GDR |
|
89.32m. |
| 4. Dainis KULA |
|
URS |
|
87.84m. |
| 5. Arton HARKONEN |
|
FIN |
|
86.76m. |
| 6. Alexandr MAKAROV |
|
URS |
|
86.08m. |
The GDR boycotted the 1984 Olympic Games, and Hohn was included in that boycott
and could not win an international medal in the year that he achieved his world record.
Two years later, his career ended after several setbacks due to surgery.