When was hammer throw introduced to the olympics

Virgilijus Alekna Lithuania - Lithuanian legend Virgilijus Alekna came to Athens in as the defending Olympic champion and was the top contender, having won the world title in The 6 ft 7 inch Alekna finished second in the qualifying round and continued his impressive run throughout the event.

The then Olympic record holder Lars Reidel was also competing at the event. Martina Hellmann East Germany - But it was Hellmann that reigned supreme and broke the Olympic record twice in the final. Martina Hellmann topped her group in the qualifier and her first throw of Then, with her fourth throw of Sergey Litvinov bettered the previous Olympic record in all six of his throws and set new records twice. The Soviets dominated the event at the Olympics, with Sergey getting gold and Yuriy Sedykh and Juri Tamm winning silver and bronze, respectively.

Origins Hammer throwing, one of the throwing events in track and field, was developed into a sport centuries ago in Ireland, Scotland, and England. Legends trace it back in various forms to the Tailteann games held in Tara, Ireland, around in BC. Centuries later Celtic mythological hero Cuchulainn was said to have gripped a chariot wheel by its axle, whirled it around his head, and threw it farther than any other mortal.

Wheel hurling was later replaced by throwing a boulder attached to the end of a wooden handle. Among the ancient Teutonic tribes, forms of hammer throwing were practiced at religious festivals honoring the God Thor.

About HammerThrow. It was his goal to see America once again among the world's best in the event. Read more here about his remarkable transformation from a young handicapped child outside of Boston to becoming a household name around the world. Hammer Throw is a sport of strength, balance, and projection. Apart from heavy physical strength, it requires excellent foot work coordination. Hammer Throw is a popular field and track event in which the athlete needs to throw a heavy spherical object to prescribed distance, by spinning it in air with the help of a wire or string attached to it.

This sport is played in both men and women category. For the safety of the spectators, the athletes use to perform inside a semi enclosed perimeter. Traces of hammer throwing can be made into 18th century where the Tailteann people used to showcase their talents in front of their kings by throwing heavy stone or metallic materials being attached with a rope.