Shot put, discus and javelin: technique and tactics

25 min

Three throws, one best

In a throwing final each athlete gets only a few attempts, and only the single best one counts. An athlete who fouls all three first-round throws goes home with no mark at all, however far the fouls landed. Throwing well is therefore not only about power and technique: it is also about choosing when to throw safely and when to attack. In Senior 2 you learned to hold and release the discus and javelin safely; here you add the full technique and the tactics of competition.

Definition

Trial: one attempt at a throw. Foul (no-throw): a trial that breaks a rule, recorded as "X" and not measured.

Sector: the marked V-shaped landing area. A throw must land completely inside the inner edges of the sector lines.

Glide and rotational techniques: the two ways of crossing the shot circle, by a backward slide or by a spin.

Block: in the javelin, the firm plant of the front leg at the end of the run-up that turns forward speed into throwing speed.

The rules that shape every throw

	Shot put	Discus	Javelin
Throwing area	circle 2.135 m across, with a stop board	circle 2.50 m across, inside a safety cage	runway at least 30 m long, ending in an arc of radius 8 m
Sector angle	34.92°	34.92°	28.96°
Senior weight: women / men	4 kg / 7.26 kg	1 kg / 2 kg	600 g / 800 g
Under-18 weight: girls / boys	3 kg / 5 kg	1 kg / 1.5 kg	500 g / 700 g
Special rule	Put with one hand from the shoulder, kept close to the neck or chin; not brought behind the shoulders	Leave the circle by the back half after landing	Hold the grip, throw over the shoulder; the metal tip must strike the ground first; never turn your back to the arc before release

Weights and dimensions follow the World Athletics Technical Rules. In every event you may not leave the throwing area until the implement has landed.

Figure: the shot put circle and landing sector from above. The orange line is the part that is measured.

Technique, event by event

Shot put: the glide (right-handed thrower). Stand at the back of the circle facing away from the sector, shot on the neck under the jaw, elbow high. Crouch on the right leg, kick the left leg back towards the stop board and drive low across the circle on the right foot. Land with the right foot under the hips and the left foot near the stop board, then drive up through the legs, rotate the hips and chest to the front, and push the shot away at about 37 to 40° with a final flick of the fingers. Keep the left side firm to stop the body following the shot out of the circle.

Discus: one and a half turns. Start at the back facing away from the sector, swing the discus back, then pivot on the ball of the left foot and sprint-turn across the circle, landing on the right foot in the middle and the left at the front. Lead with the hips, keep the throwing arm long and trailing behind, and release at shoulder height off the index finger so the discus spins clockwise.

Javelin: run-up, crossovers, block. Run 8 to 12 strides holding the javelin above the shoulder, point forwards. Then draw it back to full arm's length while running sideways with three to five crossover steps. Plant the left leg firmly (the block), let the hips and chest come through first, and throw with a high elbow, pulling over the top of the shoulder.

Video: "How to throw the javelin #6: Learning crossovers", Thomas Röhler, Olympic javelin champion in 2016. Watch how the javelin stays still and level while the legs cross over beneath it.

Competition tactics

Make the first trial count. In most competitions every athlete has three trials, and when there are more than eight athletes only the best eight earn three more. Take a controlled, legal first throw to post a mark; attack in the later trials.
Know the leaderboard. If you are ninth with one throw left, you must go for distance; if you lead, a safe throw keeps the pressure on the others.
Warm up into the event, not just the body: a few practice throws at gradually increasing effort.
Use the conditions. A discus flies further into a moderate headwind that comes from the thrower's right side (for right-handers), because the air gives it extra lift.
Tie-breaks. If two athletes have the same best throw, the better second-best throw decides the place.

Worked example

Worked example: reading a results sheet. In a discus final Keza's trials are 24.10 m, X, 25.36 m; Mutesi's are X, 25.36 m, 23.80 m.

Best marks: both 25.36 m, a tie.
Second-best: Keza 24.10 m, Mutesi 23.80 m.
Keza is placed ahead because her second-best throw is longer.

Tip

Safe throw first. Think of the first round like the first question in an exam: answer it securely to bank the marks, then attempt the harder ones.

Warning

Safety rules. Throw only when the teacher gives the signal, and only when nobody is in or near the sector. Everyone waits behind the thrower. Never throw an implement back: carry it back once all throws have landed and the teacher allows it. Carry a javelin upright, point down, and never run with it in a group. Discus is thrown only from a cage or with a very wide empty area around the circle.

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Practice

Give the senior women's and men's weights for the shot, discus and javelin.
Which two events share the 34.92° sector, and what is the javelin sector angle?
A shot lands on the left sector line. Is the throw valid?
Describe the javelin "block" and explain why it adds distance.
A thrower walks out of the front of the circle after the shot lands. What is the result, and why?
Shot put results: Gatete 9.84 m, X, 10.12 m; Ishimwe 10.12 m, 9.90 m, X. Who wins?
Twelve athletes enter a javelin event. You are ninth after two rounds with one round left. What should your third throw aim for, and why?
Your school has one 4 kg shot and 30 pupils. Plan a safe 40-minute shot put lesson.

Show answersHide answers

Shot 4 kg and 7.26 kg; discus 1 kg and 2 kg; javelin 600 g and 800 g.
Shot put and discus (also the hammer); javelin 28.96°.
No: the throw must land completely inside the inner edges of the sector lines, so landing on the line is a foul.
The firm plant of the front leg at the end of the run-up. It stops the lower body, so the hips, chest, shoulder and arm whip forward one after another, turning run-up speed into release speed.
It is a foul: the athlete must leave by the back half of the circle.
Both have a best of 10.12 m; second-best Gatete 9.84 m, Ishimwe 9.90 m, so Ishimwe wins.
Distance: only the best eight get three more trials, so a safe throw that stays in ninth place ends the competition; you must attack.
Example: warm up; teach the standing put in pairs with light balls or 2 to 3 kg shots if available; one thrower at a time with the 4 kg shot from a marked circle, everyone else behind a line; throws on the signal only; carry the shot back.

Remember

Shot circle 2.135 m, discus 2.50 m, javelin arc radius 8 m; sectors 34.92° and 28.96°.
Landing on a sector line is a foul; leave the circle from the back half after the landing.
Three trials, then three more for the best eight: bank a safe first mark.
Throw on the signal only; never throw implements back.

1Three throws, one best

2The rules that shape every throw

3Technique, event by event

4Competition tactics

Three throws, one best

The rules that shape every throw

Technique, event by event

Competition tactics