Athletics at the 2016 Summer Olympics – Men's javelin throw explained

Event:	Men's javelin throw
Games:	2016 Summer
Venue:	Olympic Stadium
Dates:	17 August 2016 (qualifications) 20 August 2016 (final)
Competitors:	37
Nations:	23
Win Label:	Winning distance
Win Value:	90.30 m
Gold:	Thomas Röhler
Goldnoc:	GER
Silver:	Julius Yego
Silvernoc:	KEN
Bronze:	Keshorn Walcott
Bronzenoc:	TTO
Prev:	2012
Next:	2020

The men's javelin throw competition at the 2016 Summer Olympics in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. The event was held at the Olympic Stadium between August 17–20.^[1] ^[2]

Summary

Defending champion, Keshorn Walcott started the final with a respectable 83.45 m. The second thrower was Johannes Vetter who topped it with an 85.32 m. The eighth thrower in the round was reigning World Champion Julius Yego, who tossed it, landing on his hands to avoid a face plant on the runway. He moved into the gold medal position. The next competitor was the number one thrower in 2016, Thomas Röhler who answered with an 87.40 m to move into silver position. On his second attempt, Walcott threw it 85.38 to move into bronze position by just 6 cm, still more than 3 metres short of the mark he threw in the qualifying round. Nobody was able to improve in the next two rounds. As the final thrower in the fourth round, Yego twisted his left ankle during his fouled attempt. He limped to the bench and was wheelchair out of the stadium still in gold medal position. On his fifth attempt, Röhler threw it, less than a foot short of the Olympic record, to move ahead of Yego. Nobody was able to improve their position in the final round and the gold medal was confirmed.^[3] After treatment, Yego limped back into the stadium to congratulate Röhler and celebrate his silver medal by limping around his victory lap.

The medals for the competition were presented by Richard Peterkin, St. Lucia, Member of the International Olympic Committee, and the gifts were presented by Antti Pihlakoski, IAAF Council Member.

Competition format

Each athlete received three throws in the qualifying round. The nine athletes who achieved the qualifying distance progressed to the final. A further three athletes who did not achieve the qualifying distance also advanced to the final. All twelve starters were allowed three throws in the final, with the top eight athletes after that point receiving three further attempts.

Schedule

All times are Brasilia Time (UTC-3)

Date	Time	Round
Wednesday, 17 August 2016	20:30	Qualifications
style=background:lemonchiffon	Saturday, 20 August 2016	style=background:lemonchiffon	20:55	style=background:lemonchiffon	Finals

Records

, the existing World and Olympic records were as follows.

World record	98.48 m	Jena, Germany	25 May 1996
Olympic record	90.57 m	Beijing, China	23 August 2008
2016 World leading	91.28 m	Turku, Finland	29 June 2016

Results

Qualifying round

Qualification rule: qualification standard 83.00m (Q) or at least best 12 qualified (q).

Rank	Group	Name	1	3	Result	Notes
1	B	align=left	align=left	88.68			88.68
2	B	align=left	align=left	85.96			85.96
3	A	align=left	align=left	84.46			84.46
4	B	align=left	align=left	84.16			84.16
5	B	align=left	align=left	78.57	80.17	83.60	83.60
6	B	align=left	align=left	78.88		83.55	83.55
7	A	align=left	align=left	78.23	80.90	83.27	83.27
8	A	align=left	align=left	80.08	76.79	83.23	83.23
9	A	align=left	align=left	79.47	81.61	83.01	83.01
10	B	align=left	align=left	81.32	81.32	82.85	82.85
11	B	align=left	align=left	82.20			82.20
12	A	align=left	align=left	78.99	81.96	80.36	81.96
13	A	align=left	align=left	78.87	80.84	76.78	80.84
14	B	align=left	align=left	76.87	80.65	75.95	80.65
15	A	align=left	align=left		78.06	80.62	80.62
16	B	align=left	align=left	79.33	80.49	80.29	80.49
17	A	align=left	align=left	77.91	78.75	80.49	80.49
18	B	align=left	align=left	80.45	78.78	79.24	80.45
19	B	align=left	align=left	79.09	80.39	78.90	80.39
20	A	align=left	align=left	76.48	78.69	79.76	79.76
21	A	align=left	align=left	77.91	78.58	79.56	79.56
22	A	align=left	align=left	76.23	79.26	79.40	79.40
23	A	align=left	align=left		77.60	79.33	79.33
24	A	align=left	align=left		71.05	78.48	78.48
25	B	align=left	align=left	77.91	76.22	76.40	77.91
26	B	align=left	align=left	73.49	72.92	77.83	77.83
27	B	align=left	align=left	77.14	76.77	77.73	77.73
28	A	align=left	align=left	76.76		77.73	77.73
29	A	align=left	align=left	74.24	77.32	74.38	77.32
30	A	align=left	align=left		77.19		77.19
31	B	align=left	align=left	76.31	76.52	76.14	76.52
32	A	align=left	align=left	76.04	75.68		76.04
33	B	align=left	align=left	74.33			74.33
34	B	align=left	align=left	73.78	73.66		73.78
35	B	align=left	align=left	69.40	72.61	71.35	72.61
36	A	align=left	align=left	69.62	71.93		71.93
	A	align=left	align=left

Final

data-sort-type=number	Rank !	Name	Nationality	1	2	3	4	5	6	Result	Notes
			87.40	85.61	87.07	84.84	90.30	x	90.30
			88.24	x	–	x			88.24
			83.45	85.38	83.38	80.33	x	x	85.38
4			85.32	x	82.54	x	83.61	81.74	85.32
5			82.51	83.95	83.64	81.61	81.21	x	83.95
6			x	77.81	83.05	x	x	80.00	83.05
7			78.20	82.51	x	x	x	78.63	82.51
8			80.02	82.42	81.59	80.32	x	x	82.42
9			80.29	80.13	81.36	did not advance			81.36
10			77.89	79.51	79.81	did not advance			79.81
11			77.98	79.47	72.49	did not advance			79.47
12			76.15	76.79	79.12	did not advance			79.12

* – Julius Yego retired from the competition after his fourth throw due to an ankle injury, but nevertheless won silver due to his first throw.^[4]

Notes and References

Web site: Men's Javelin Throw . 2016-08-22 . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20160907033715/https://www.rio2016.com/en/athletics-standings-at-mens-javelin-throw . 2016-09-07 .
Web site: Rio 2016: Germany's Rohler wins javelin gold. 4 November 2023.
Web site: Archived copy . 2016-08-22 . https://web.archive.org/web/20160920201237/https://smsprio2016-a.akamaihd.net/_odf-documents/A/T/ATM053101_Results_2016_08_20_892d9284_25a5_4f23_965a_e367b228f205.pdf . 2016-09-20 . dead .
Web site: Julius Yego speaks after Rio Olympics heartbreak . 21 August 2016 . tuko.co.ke . 21 August 2016.