|
Hammer Throw for men has been the part of the
Olympics since the 1900 Paris Summer Games. In this event, the
athletes have to throw a heavy ball fixed to a handle with a wire.
Rules and Regulations
The onus of setting up the rules and regulations for the hammer
throw event in the Olympics lies with the International Association
of Athletics Federations or the IAAF.
- The weight of the steel ball used in the hammer throw is set
by the IAAF to 7.257 kilograms.
- During and after the throw, body movement of the athletes is
regularized by the IAAF.
- Athletes are barred from leaving the throw area until the
hammer thrown by her touches the landing point. They can exit
only with the consent of the judge.
- The IAAF also determines the material and the length of the
wire with which the ball is attached to the handle.
- The athletes are given several chances to throw the hammer.
For determining the top three athletes, the longest throws of
them are picked up.
- To take a conclusion off a tie, the second best throw is
evaluated.
Hammer Throw Technique
Initially, the athletes set the hammer in the circular motion by
spinning it above their head. Then take one to four turns in the
circle to put maximum speed in the hammer. With each circle, the
hammer increases in velocity with the high point of the ball toward
the sector and the low point at the back of the circle. Then the
athlete throws the ball trying to push it to the maximum distance.
The angle of release and the speed of the ball play significant role
in carrying the ball furthest.
Dominating Countries
The United States of America and Russia have been the dominating
countries at hammer throw event in the Olympics.
Top Performers
Men athletes who have performed well in the Olympics are Andrey
Abduvaliyev, Sergey Litvinov, Juha Tiainen, Yuriy Sedykh, Koji
Murofushi, Szymon Ziolkowski, Balazs Kiss, Harold Vincent Connolly,
Jozsef Csermak, Imre NemethKarl Hein, Pat O'Callaghan, Fred Tootell,
Patrick Ryan, Matt McGrath, Anatoly Bondarchuck, Gyula Zsivotzky,
Romuald Klim, and Vasily Rudenkov. |