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The women’s javelin has one of the longest and most layered record histories among the throwing events, stretching from early pre-federation marks to the FSFI period, the official IAAF era and, eventually, the reset created by the redesign of the implement in 1999. That change is a major dividing line in the event’s history: from 1 April 1999 the women’s javelin was re-specified, with the centre of gravity moved forward and the surface area increased, in the same spirit as the earlier men’s redesign, in order to shorten flight distances and improve landing characteristics. As a result, the modern record progression effectively begins a new chapter separate from the old-implement era.

The pre-federation period was relatively limited compared with events such as the shot put or discus, but it is still significant because it shows how early women’s javelin developed through Nordic and Central European competition before an international record structure existed. The first recognised marks were modest by later standards, yet they established the event within women’s athletics well before the FSFI formalised its world-record lists in the 1920s. From there, the event evolved into one of the classic women’s throws, with strong traditions in the Soviet bloc, Scandinavia and Germany, before the 1999 implement change created a clear historical break between the old and new eras.

Javelin Throw, women World Record Progression – Data Table

Performance	Athlete	Country	Date	Location	Competition	Notes
72.28	Barbora Špotáková	CZE	13/9/2008	Stuttgart	IAAF World Athletics Final
71.70	Osleidys Menéndez Sáez	CUB	14/8/2005	Helsinki	IAAF World Championships
71.54	Osleidys Menéndez Sáez	CUB	1/7/2001	Rethymno	EAA Permit Meeting "Vardinoyiania"
67.09	Mirela Manjani-Tzelili	GRE	28/8/1999	Sevilla	IAAF World Championships	from 01/04/1999 a new javelin with a 4cm forward displaced center of gravity. The best performace achieved until 31/12/1999 was accepted as first new world record
80.00	Petra Felke	GDR	9/9/1988	Potsdam	Olympic Test
78.90	Petra Felke	GDR	29/7/1987	Leipzig	National Meeting
77.44	Fatima Whitbread	GBR	28/8/1986	Stuttgart	European Championships
75.26	Petra Felke	GDR	4/6/1985	Schwerin	Throwers Meeting
75.40	Petra Felke	GDR	4/6/1985	Schwerin	Throwers Meeting
74.76	Kristiina (Tiina) Lillak	FIN	13/6/1983	Tampere	Meeting
74.20	Sofia Sakorafa	GRE	26/9/1982	Chania	National Meeting "Venizelia"
72.40	Kristiina (Tiina) Lillak	FIN	29/7/1982	Helsinki	World Games
71.88	Antoaneta Todorova-Selenska	BUL	15/8/1981	Zagreb	European Cup, Final
70.08	Tatyana Biryulina	URS	12/7/1980	Podolsk	Olympic Test
69.96	Ruth Fuchs	GDR	29/4/1980	Split	International Meeting Split 80
69.52	Ruth Fuchs	GDR	13/6/1979	Dresden	Olympic Day
69.32	Kathryn (Kate) Schmidt	USA	11/9/1977	Fürth	International Meeting
69.12	Ruth Fuchs	GDR	10/7/1976	Berlin (Ost)	Olympic Test
67.22	Ruth Fuchs	GDR	3/9/1974	Roma	European Championships
66.11	Ruth Fuchs	GDR	7/9/1973	Edinburgh	European Cup Final
62.70	Ewa Gryzieka	POL	11/6/1972	Bucuresti	International Match ROM-POL-FRG
65.06	Ruth Fuchs	GDR	11/6/1972	Potsdam	International Match GDR-BUL
62.40	Yelena Gorchakova	URS	16/10/1964	Tokyo	The XVIII Olympic Games
59.78	Elvīra Ozoliņa	URS	3/7/1963	Moskva	International Meeting
59.55	Elvīra Ozoliņa	URS	4/6/1960	Bucuresti	International Romanian Championships
57.92	Elvīra Ozoliņa	URS	3/5/1960	Leselidze	National Meeting
57.49	Birutė Žalagaitytė	URS	30/10/1958	Tbilisi	Soviet Team Championships
57.40	Anna Pazera-Wojtaszek	AUS	24/7/1958	Cardiff	Commowealth Games
55.73	Dana Zátopková	TCH	1/6/1958	Praha	National Meeting
55.48	Nadezhda Konyayeva	URS	6/8/1954	Kiev	National Meeting
55.11	Nadezhda Konyayeva	URS	22/5/1954	Kiev	Five Area Federation Match
53.56	Nadezhda Konyayeva	URS	5/2/1954	Leningrad	Soviet Winter Throwing Championships
53.41	Natalya Smirnitskaya	URS	5/8/1949	Moskva	National Meeting
49.59	Natalya Smirnitskaya	URS	25/7/1949	Moskva	International Match URS-TCH
48.63	Herma Bauma	AUT	12/9/1948	Wien	International Match AUT-HUN
48.21	Herma Bauma	AUT	29/6/1947	Wien	International Match AUT-HUN
47.24	Anneliese Steinheuer	GER	21/6/1942	Frankfurt	Eintracht Frankfurt Meeting
46.745	Ferdinanda (Nan) Gindele	USA	18/6/1932	Chicago	Central AAU Championships	First record ratified by the IAAF
44.64	Ellen Braumüller	GER	12/6/1932	Berlin	Women's Sport Meetng
42.28	Ellen Braumüller	GER	2/8/1931	Magdeburg	German Pentathlon Championships
40.27	Ellen Braumüller	GER	12/7/1930	Berlin	Brandenburg Championships
38.39	Augustine (Guschi) Hargus	GER	18/8/1928	Berlin	DSC/SCC International Meeting
37.575	Augustine (Guschi) Hargus	GER	12/6/1927	Berlin	International Women's Meeting
27.24	Marie Janderová	TCH	25/5/1924	Moravská Ostrava	Women's Meeting of TCH Handball Federation
25.325	Božena Šrámková	TCH	13/8/1922	Praha	Women's Meeting
25.01	Božena Šrámková	TCH	6/8/1922	Praha	Olympc qualification meeting

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