Throwing in track and field refers to four events where athletes launch a heavy implement as far as possible from a designated area. The four throwing events are shot put, discus, hammer throw, and javelin. These are among the oldest competitions in organized sport, with discus and shot put featured at the first modern Olympics in 1896, hammer throw added in 1900, and javelin in 1908.
Each event uses a different implement, technique, and throwing area, but they all share a common goal: maximum distance wins. Here’s what each event involves and how they work.
Shot Put
Shot put is the most straightforward throwing event. Athletes push (not throw) a heavy metal ball from a circle 2.135 meters in diameter, roughly seven feet across. The shot weighs 7.26 kg (16 lbs) for men and 4 kg (8.8 lbs) for women. The athlete holds it against the neck and “puts” it outward using an explosive pushing motion, which is why it’s called a “put” rather than a throw.
Athletes typically use one of two techniques. The glide involves a linear movement across the circle, while the spin (or rotational technique) uses a full rotation to build momentum before releasing the shot. Both techniques end with the athlete planted near the front of the circle, driving through the legs and extending the arm to launch the ball into a wedge-shaped landing sector set at an angle of 34.92 degrees.
Discus Throw
The discus is a lens-shaped disc that athletes hurl after spinning inside a circle. The men’s discus weighs 2 kg (4.4 lbs) and measures 22 cm in diameter. The women’s version is lighter at 1 kg (2.2 lbs) and 18 cm across. The throwing circle is larger than in shot put, measuring 2.5 meters in diameter, giving the athlete more room to generate rotational speed.
The thrower typically completes one and a half rotations inside the circle before releasing the discus at roughly shoulder height. The disc flies with a combination of spin and aerodynamic lift, similar to a frisbee but far heavier. Wind conditions can significantly affect flight distance, making discus one of the more weather-dependent field events.
Hammer Throw
Despite the name, the hammer looks nothing like a tool. It’s a heavy metal ball attached to a steel wire with a handle at the end. The total weight is 7.26 kg (16 lbs) for men and 4 kg (8.8 lbs) for women, the same as the shot put. The wire can be no longer than 1.22 meters.
Athletes grip the handle and swing the ball in increasingly fast arcs, completing three or four full-body rotations inside a 2.135-meter circle before releasing it. The speeds involved are enormous, which is why hammer throw requires a safety cage around the circle. These cages stand 10 meters high (about 33 feet) and are built with netting strong enough to absorb the impact of a misthrown hammer, protecting spectators and other athletes.
Javelin Throw
Javelin is the only throwing event that uses a runway instead of a circle. Athletes sprint down a runway and release a spear-like implement without crossing a foul line. The men’s javelin weighs at least 800 grams and measures between 2.6 and 2.7 meters long. The women’s javelin weighs at least 600 grams and is 2.2 to 2.3 meters long.
The javelin has three parts: a metal head, a shaft, and a cord grip wrapped around its center of gravity. Athletes must hold it by the grip with one hand, and gloves are not allowed. For a throw to count, the javelin must land tip first inside the landing sector. It doesn’t need to stick in the ground or “break turf,” but the tip must make a mark before any other part of the javelin touches down.
How Throwing Power Works
All four events depend on what biomechanists call the kinetic chain: a sequence of energy transfer that starts at the feet and ends at the fingertips. The legs and trunk generate roughly 51 to 55 percent of the total energy delivered to the hand during a throw. The remaining energy comes from the shoulder, arm, and wrist.
This is why elite throwers are powerful through the entire body, not just the upper half. During a throw, forces build sequentially from the ground up. The feet push against the ground, the legs and hips rotate, the torso whips forward, and the arm accelerates the implement. Each segment in the chain adds speed to the next, so a breakdown at any point costs distance. The lead leg plays a critical role at the moment of release: it extends to stop the lower body’s forward movement, transferring that energy upward through the torso and into the throwing arm.
Fouls and Common Rules
The basic rules are similar across all four events. In the circle events (shot put, discus, hammer), the athlete cannot touch the top of the circle’s rim or the ground outside it during the throw. Leaving the circle before the implement lands is also a foul. After the implement lands, the athlete must exit from the back half of the circle.
In every event, the implement must land within the marked landing sector. Throws that land outside the sector lines are invalid. Athletes typically get three attempts in qualifying rounds, and the top qualifiers advance to a final round where they receive three additional throws. The longest single throw determines the winner.
In javelin specifically, athletes cannot turn their back completely to the landing sector during the approach. Taping fingers is allowed for grip support, but taping two or more fingers together is prohibited since it could alter the release mechanics.
Equipment Weights at a Glance
- Shot put: 7.26 kg / 16 lbs (men), 4 kg / 8.8 lbs (women)
- Discus: 2 kg / 4.4 lbs (men), 1 kg / 2.2 lbs (women)
- Hammer: 7.26 kg / 16 lbs (men), 4 kg / 8.8 lbs (women)
- Javelin: 800 g / 1.76 lbs minimum (men), 600 g / 1.32 lbs minimum (women)
Youth and masters competitions use lighter implements that scale with age, but these are the standard weights for senior-level international competition.