KINDS OF THROWS IN ATHLETICS

DISCUS THROW
 It is a field event that has been competed since the days of the ancient Greek Olympiad.
 The discus is a circular object held in the tips of the fingers by an athlete standing in a
circle, initially facing away from the landing area or sector.
 The athlete quickly spins around one and half times, building momentum, before
releasing the discus.
 The discus should be made of solid or hollow wood or synthetic material with a metal
rim encircling the discus.
 Its competitive weight varies with sex and age.
 Per International Association of athletic Federations rules, female of all ages and levels
use a discus weighing 1kg or 3.3 lbs discus. While boys (16-17 yrs) use a 1.5 kg or 3.3 lbs
discus. Junior men (18-19 yrs) use a 1.75kg or 3.85 lbs discus, and a 2 kg or 4.4 lbs discus
is used by senior men and by men at the college level.
Rules:
Legal Throw
 The athlete is permitted to use chalk on both hands and the discus to assist in properly
gripping the equipment.
 There should be no taping of the hands or fingers other than to cover an injury.
 The discus is thrown from a circle measuring 2.5 meters, or 8.2 feet, in diameter.
 The circle has a white rim 6mm thick.
 Athletes may touch the inside of the rim only.
 The athletes must begin each attempt from a stationary position within the circle.
 Once the throw is completed the athlete must exit the circle from the back half.
 In Olympic competition, each discus thrower is offered eight throws, with the best
throw counted.

Foul Throw
 Dropping of the discus outside of the circle during initial swings before the turn and
throw results in a foul attempt.
 An attempt is consider a foul if the athlete touches the top or outside of the rim during
the throw.
 If the discus lands on or outside of the sector lines the throw is determined to be foul.
 The athlete should not leave the circle until the discus has touched the ground or the
attempt will be foul.

Measurement
Measurement of each throw is conducted immediately following the attempt. An
attempt is measured from the nearest mark of the discus to the inside of the
circumference of the circle.

SHOT PUT
 The shot, a metal ball (7.26kg/16 lb for men, 4kg/8.8lb for women), is put-not thrown-
with one hand.
 The aim is to put it as far as possible from a seven-foot diameter circle that has a curved
10 cm high toe-board at the front.
Rules:
 The shot must not drop below the line of the athlete’s shoulders at any stage of the put and
must land inside a designated 35 degree sector.
 E athlete must not touch the top of the toe-board during their put or leave the circle before the
ball has landed, and then only from the rear half of the circle.
 Athletes will commonly throw four or six times per competition. In the event of a tie, the winner
will be the athlete with the next best effort.
 JAVELIN THROW
 A field event where an athlete runs down a narrow runway then tosses a long, spear-like
object as far as he can into a marked field area.
 The layout of the runway, the specs for the javelin and how it’s thrown are all governed
by the rules and regulations of the sport.
 The runway must be at least 33 yards and as much as 37 yards long.
 Javelin used by men must be between 102 and 106 inches long with a minimum weight
of 28 ounces.
 For women, the length is about 87-91 inches with a minimum weight of 21 ounces.
Rules:
 The javelin must land within the sector to register a score. This fan shaped area extends out
from the ends of the arch-shaped foul line.
 The javelin can’t land on the lines marking the outside of the sector.
 The metal head of the javelin has to hit the ground first or the throw is a foul.
 You must hold the grip on the javelin, release it using an over-the-shoulder technique, and you
may not turn your back to the field until the javelin leaves your hand. Throwing in another
manner results in a foul. This rule ensures safety because the javelin remains under control
when throwing it over your shoulder.
 You may not touch any boundary line of the runway. Touching outside the lines results in a foul.
 If the javelin drops during the course of your throw, it is a foul; however, the tail of the javelin
may hit the ground during the throw with no penalty.
 A throw landing flat or tail first is a foul and is not measured.
 When the javelin lands outside the sector, your throw is foul.
 After completing your throw, no part of your body can touch over the foul line arc. A white line
or piece of wood at the end of the runway designates the foul line.

HAMMER
 The only throwing competition in which throwers may wear gloves.
 The hammer is a three-part device that include the metal balls called “head”, attached
to a steel wire not longer than 121.5 cm with a “grip” or handle on the end.
 Men throw a 7.26 kg ball, with a diameter of 110-130 millimeters.
 Women throw a 4kg version with a diameter of 95-100 millimeters.

Rules:
 The thrower cannot touch the ground outside the throwing circle during an attempt, nor can
he/she leave the circle until the hammer hits the ground. The circle lies within an enclosure to
ensure the safety of the bystanders.
 The hammer must pass a rigorous inspection to be certified for competition. it must be certified
for weight, length, diameter, handle and center of gravity.
 Implement must land in sector (34.92 degrees)
 Any throw that lands in the sector and is not a foot foul is a legal throw.

Reported by:

PERLA S. PUNZAL