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Before the establishment of the IAAF and the official World Record ratification system, the men’s javelin throw evolved primarily in Finland and Sweden, where the event developed under a variety of national rules and equipment specifications. Early competitions were often contested using different javelin weights and dimensions, while many meetings also included “both hands” events in which athletes combined throws with each arm. Despite these differences, performances improved rapidly from just over 30 metres in the 1880s to beyond 61 metres by the beginning of the IAAF era.

The Scandinavian nations dominated the event’s formative decades, producing many of the sport’s pioneering throwers. Eric Lemming became the defining figure of the pre-IAAF period, raising the World Best numerous times and helping establish the technical foundations of modern javelin throwing. The first officially recognised IAAF World Record was set by Finland’s Juho Saaristo with 61.45 metres in 1912, marking the beginning of the event’s officiallyratified progression and the start of a long tradition of Nordic excellence in the discipline. Unlike most athletics disciplines, the men’s javelin throw has been significantly influenced by equipment redesigns, with the major specification change introduced in 1986 creating a new era of World Record progression. Further details are provided in the record notes below.

Javelin Throw, men World Record Progression – Data Table

In 1990, a further development occured with a new javelin, developed by Miklos Nemeth, the 1976 Olympic Champion, under new specifications, except that behind the grip the implement had a series of serrations which served to make the javelin fly further. This effectively contravened the rules governing the event from 1986, but it could not be legislate against until the IAAF Congress in Tokyo, in August 1991. At that point four records set by Zelezny (89.66 in Oslo – 14/7/1990), Backley (90.98 in London 20/7/1990) and Raty (91.98 in Shizuoka 6/5/1991 and 96.96 in Punkalaidun 2/6/1991), which had been approved, were deleted.

Performance	Athlete	Country	Date	Location	Competition	Notes
98.48	Jan Zelezný	CZE	25/5/1996	Jena	Zeiss Meeting
95.66	Jan Zelezný	CZE	29/8/1993	Sheffield	International Meeting
95.54	Jan Zelezný	CZE	6/4/1993	Pietersburg	International Meeting
91.46	Steve Backley	GBR	25/1/1992	Auckland	International Meeting
89.58	Steve Backley	GBR	2/7/1990	Stockholm	DN Galan
89.10	Patrik Bodén	SWE	24/3/1990	Austin	Univercity quadrangular
87.66	Jan Zelezný	TCH	31/5/1987	Nitra	International Meeting
85.74	Klaus Tafelmeier	FRG	21/9/1986	Como	International Meeting	New specifications introduced in 1986
104.80	Uwe Hohn	GDR	20/7/1984	Berlin (Ost)	Olympic Day
99.72	Tom Petranoff	USA	15/5/1983	Westwood LA	Pepsi Invitational
96.72	Ferenc Paragi	HUN	23/4/1980	Tata	National Throwers Meeting
94.58	Miklós Németh	HUN	26/7/1976	Montreal	The XXI Olympic Games
94.08	Klaus Wolfermann	FRG	5/5/1973	Leverkusen	DLV Test Meeting
93.80	Jānis Lūsis	URS	6/7/1972	Stockholm	International Meeting
92.70	Jorma Kinnunen	FIN	18/6/1969	Tampere	National Meeting
91.98	Jānis Lūsis	URS	23/6/1968	Saarijärvi	International Meeting
91.72	Terje Pedersen	NOR	2/9/1964	Oslo	NOR-TCH Int. Match
87.12	Terje Pedersen	NOR	1/7/1964	Oslo	NOR-BENELUX Int. Match
86.74	Carlo Lievore	ITA	1/6/1961	Milano	Italian Club Championships
86.04	Al Cantello	USA	5/6/1959	Compton	Compton Invitational
85.71	Egil Danielsen	NOR	26/11/1956	Melbourne	The XVI Olympic Games
83.66	Janusz Sidlo	POL	30/6/1956	Milano	International Meeting
83.56	Soini Nikkinen	FIN	24/6/1956	Kuhmoinen	National Meeting
81.75	Bud Held	USA	21/5/1955	Modesto	California Relays
80.41	Bud Held	USA	8/8/1953	Pasadena	All-Comers Meet
78.70	Yrjö Nikkanen	FIN	16/10/1938	Kotka	National Meeting
77.87	Yrjö Nikkanen	FIN	25/8/1938	Karhula	National Meeting
77.23	Matti Järvinen	FIN	18/6/1936	Helsinki	National Meeting
76.66	Matti Järvinen	FIN	7/9/1934	Torino	European Championships
76.10	Matti Järvinen	FIN	15/6/1933	Helsinki	National Meeting
74.61	Matti Järvinen	FIN	7/6/1933	Vaasa	National Meeting
74.28	Matti Järvinen	FIN	25/5/1933	Mikkeli	National Meeting
74.02	Matti Järvinen	FIN	27/6/1932	Turku	National Meeting
72.93	Matti Järvinen	FIN	14/9/1930	Viipuri	National Meeting
71.88	Matti Järvinen	FIN	31/8/1930	Vaasa	National Meeting
71.70	Matti Järvinen	FIN	17/8/1930	Tampere	Finnish Championships
71.57	Matti Järvinen	FIN	8/8/1930	Viipuri	National Meeting
71.01	Erik Lundqvist	SWE	15/8/1928	Stockholm	International Meeting
69.88	Eino Pentilla	FIN	8/10/1927	Viipuri	National Meeting
66.62	Gunnar Lindström	SWE	12/10/1924	Eksjö	National Meeting
66.10	Jonni Myyrä	FIN	24/8/1919	Stockholm	International Meeting
62.32	Eric Lemming	SWE	29/9/1912	Stockholm	National Meeting

See also: [Men’s Hammer Throw WR Progression][Women’s Javelin Throw WR Progression]