Former world champion Johannes Vetter launched the second best javelin throw in history on Sunday with an effort of 97.76 metres at Skolimowska Memorial, a World Athletics Continental Tour Gold meeting in Silesia, Poland
At the Continental Tour Gold level event in Chorzow, 27-year-old Vetter, who won gold at the 2017 world championships in London, came to less than a metre of three-time Olympic champion Jan Zelezny’s 1996 world record of 98.48m that has stood for 24 years.
Vetter threw more than three metres farther than he’s ever thrown before as he clinched gold with what was his third attempt.
And then, in his fourth attempt on the day, Vetter sent the javeling 94.84m, the fifth farthest throw ever.
German Vetter’s incredible throw on the night was also more than three metres further than his previous personal best (which was previously the second best all-time effort too), and moves him nearly four metres ahead of compatriot Thomas Rohler’s effort of 93.90m in 2017.
Here’s the video of Vetter’s throw that went beyond the officials:
“I just don’t know what to say, it was really close to a perfect moment,” Vetter said afterwards according to World Athletics.
“You can feel it in your body when you have a good throw,” the 2017 world champion said. “Mostly you feel the whole energy behind it, from your whole body - from the right toe to the chest to the hands. In the javelin you need your whole body. But it’s really hard to explain - you feel it for less than one second. But then you realise that it was a huge throw.”
Vetter said that it is a matter of getting the tiny details right.
“I think that lots of people didn’t think it was possible to throw a javelin more than 95 metres in a closed stadium. I did it and I think there is a lot space for improvement. Very small differences, tiny differences, can make a difference of many metres.”
Here’s Vetter reacting to the throw, saying he does not actually remember it:
All-time best Javelin Throws - men's outdoor
| Rank | Mark | Competitor | Nat | Venue | Date |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 98.48 | Jan ŽELEZNÝ | CZE | Jena (GER) | 25 MAY 1996 |
| 2 | 97.76 | Johannes VETTER | GER | Chorzów, Silesia (POL) | 06 SEP 2020 |
| 3 | 93.90 | Thomas RÖHLER | GER | Hamad Bin Suhaim, Doha (QAT) | 05 MAY 2017 |
| 4 | 93.09 | Aki PARVIAINEN | FIN | Kuortane (FIN) | 26 JUN 1999 |
| 5 | 92.72 | Julius YEGO | KEN | National Stadium, Beijing (CHN) | 26 AUG 2015 |
| 6 | 92.61 | Sergey MAKAROV | RUS | Sheffield (GBR) | 30 JUN 2002 |
| 7 | 92.60 | Raymond HECHT | GER | Oslo (NOR) | 21 JUL 1995 |
| 8 | 92.06 | Andreas HOFMANN | GER | Offenburg (GER) | 02 JUN 2018 |
| 9 | 91.69 | Konstantinos GATSIOUDIS | GRE | Kuortane (FIN) | 24 JUN 2000 |
| 10 | 91.59 | Andreas THORKILDSEN | NOR | Oslo (NOR) | 02 JUN 2006 |
(With AFP inputs)
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