It’s wild that the women's hammer throw wasn't officially recognized by the Olympic committee until 2000. Especially considering that the men's event has been part of the Olympics since 1900. This is a stark reminder of how long it took for female athletes to be given equal opportunities in track and field. But once the event was introduced, the progression was explosive. In just a few decades, women went from struggling for recognition to launching the hammer over 80 meters, a mark that many male throwers haven't achieved.
One law that contributed to the growth of women hammer throwers was Title IX. It's passing in 1972 was a game-changer for female athletes in the U.S. It required schools to invest in women’s athletics which led to more scholarships, better coaching, and expanded track & field programs. (WomensSportFoundation.org, Title IX at 50 Report)
Below: Jessika Byrd throwing hammer for Arizona State University in 2016. Credit: Daniel Kwon, @dkwondesign.
World Record Evolution
|
Meter (Inches) |
Name |
Date |
Location |
|
66.84 m (219 ft 3 in) |
Olga Kuzenkova |
23 Feb. 1994 |
Adler, Russia |
|
66.86 m (219 ft 4 in) |
Mihaela Melinte |
4 March 1995 |
Bucharest, Romania |
|
67.00 m (219 ft 9 in) |
Olga Kuzenkova |
24 May 1995 |
Moscow, Russia |
|
68.14 m (223 ft 6 in) |
Olga Kuzenkova |
5 June 1995 |
Moscow, Russia |
|
68.16 m (223 ft 7 in) |
Olga Kuzenkova |
18 June 1995 |
Moscow, Russia |
|
69.42 m (227 ft 9 in) |
Mihaela Melinte |
12 May 1996 |
Bucharest, Romania |
|
69.58 m (228 ft 3 in) |
Mihaela Melinte |
8 March 1997 |
Bucharest, Romania |
|
71.22 m (233 ft 7 in) |
Olga Kuzenkova |
22 June 1997 |
Munich, Germany |
|
73.10 m (239 ft 9 in) |
Olga Kuzenkova |
22 June 1997 |
Munich, Germany |
|
73.14 m (239 ft 11 in) |
Mihaela Melinte |
16 July 1998 |
Poiana Brasov, Romania |
|
75.29 m (247 ft 0 in) |
Mihaela Melinte |
13 May 1999 |
Clermont-Ferrand, France |
|
75.97 m (249 ft 2 in) |
Mihaela Melinte |
13 May 1999 |
Clermont-Ferrand, France |
|
76.05 m (249 ft 6 in) |
Mihaela Melinte |
29 Aug. 1999 |
Rüdlingen, Switzerland |
|
76.07 m (249 ft 6 in) |
Mihaela Melinte |
29 Aug. 1999 |
Rüdlingen, Switzerland |
|
77.06 m (252 ft 9 in) |
Tatyana Lysenko |
15 July 2005 |
Moscow, Russia |
|
77.26 m (253 ft 5 in) |
Gulfiya Khanafeyeva |
12 June 2006 |
Tula, Russia |
|
77.41 m (253 ft 11 in) |
Tatyana Lysenko |
24 June 2006 |
Zhukovsky, Russia |
|
77.80 m (255 ft 2 in) |
Tatyana Lysenko |
24 June 2006 |
Tallinn, Estonia |
|
77.96 m (255 ft 9 in) |
Anita Włodarczyk |
22 Aug. 2009 |
Berlin, Germany |
|
78.30 m (256 ft 10 in) |
Anita Włodarczyk |
6 June 2010 |
Bydgoszcz, Poland |
|
79.42 m (260 ft 6 in) |
Betty Heidler |
21 May 2011 |
Halle/Saale, Germany |
|
79.58 m (261 ft 1 in) |
Anita Włodarczyk |
31 Aug. 2014 |
Berlin, Germany |
|
81.08 m (266 ft 0 in) |
Anita Włodarczyk |
1 Aug. 2015 |
Władysławowo, Poland |
|
82.29 m (269 ft 11 in) |
Anita Włodarczyk |
15 Aug. 2016 |
Rio de Janeiro, Brazil |
|
82.98 m (272 ft 2 in) |
Anita Włodarczyk |
28 Aug. 2016 |
Warsaw, Poland |