Men's javelin throw world record progression explained

The first world record in the men's javelin throw was recognised by the International Association of Athletics Federations in 1912.^[1]

As of 21 June 2009, 46 world records have been ratified by the IAAF in the event.^[1] New specifications for the javelin were introduced in 1986, and javelins with serrated tails were banned in 1991 which had the effect of reverting to an earlier record set in 1990.^[1]

Record progression

Mark	Date	Location
62.32	29 September 1912	Stockholm, Sweden
66.10	25 August 1919	Stockholm, Sweden
66.62	12 October 1924	Eksjö, Sweden
69.88	8 October 1927	Viipuri, Finland
71.01	15 August 1928	Stockholm, Sweden
71.57	8 August 1930	Viipuri, Finland
71.70	17 August 1930	Tampere, Finland
71.88	31 August 1930	Vaasa, Finland
72.93	14 September 1930	Viipuri, Finland
74.02	27 June 1932	Turku, Finland
74.28	25 May 1933	Mikkeli, Finland
74.61	7 June 1933	Vaasa, Finland
76.10	15 June 1933	Helsinki, Finland
76.66	7 September 1934	Turin, Italy
77.23	18 June 1936	Helsinki, Finland
77.87	25 August 1938	Karhula, Finland
78.70	16 October 1938	Kotka, Finland
80.41	8 August 1953	Pasadena, CA, United States
81.75	21 May 1955	Modesto, CA, United States
83.56	24 June 1956	Kuhmoinen, Finland
83.66	30 June 1956	Milan, Italy
85.71	26 November 1956	Melbourne
86.04	5 June 1959	Compton, CA, United States
86.74	1 June 1961	Milan, Italy
87.12	1 July 1964	Oslo, Norway
91.72	2 September 1964	Oslo, Norway
91.98	23 June 1968	Saarijärvi, Finland
92.70	18 June 1969	Tampere, Finland
93.80	6 July 1972	Stockholm, Sweden
94.08	5 May 1973	Leverkusen, West Germany
94.58	25 July 1976	Montreal, Canada
96.72	23 April 1980	Tata, Hungary
99.72	15 May 1983	Los Angeles, United States
104.80	20 July 1984	East Berlin, East Germany

New specifications were introduced in 1986.

Mark	Date	Location
85.74	21 September 1986	Como, Italy
87.66	31 May 1987	Nitra, Czechoslovakia
89.10	24 March 1990	Austin, United States
89.58	2 July 1990	Stockholm, Sweden
89.66 *	14 July 1990	Oslo, Norway
90.98 *	20 July 1990	London, England
91.98 *	6 May 1991	Shizuoka, Japan
96.96 *	2 June 1991	Punkalaidun, Finland

achieved using Németh model (serrated tail)

Javelins with serrated tails were outlawed by the IAAF in Tokyo in August 1991 at the IAAF-Congress; several of the above records were rescinded as from 20 September 1991, and the record reverted to Steve Backley's 89.58, the longest throw with the regular new implement (as of 1986).

Mark	Date	Location
89.58	2 July 1990	Stockholm, Sweden
91.46	25 January 1992	North Shore City, New Zealand
95.54	6 April 1993	Pietersburg, South Africa
95.66	29 August 1993	Sheffield, United Kingdom
98.48	25 May 1996	Jena, Germany

Notes and References

Web site: 12th IAAF World Championships In Athletics: IAAF Statistics Handbook. Berlin 2009. . IAAF Media & Public Relations Department . Monte Carlo . Pages 546, 559 . 2009 . 5 August 2009. https://web.archive.org/web/20110629134819/http://www.iaaf.org/mm/document/competitions/competition/05/15/63/20090706014834_httppostedfile_p345-688_11303.pdf . 29 June 2011.