Throwing events are offering very much excitement in Paris. Three current world record holders, Ryan Crouser, Mykolas Alekna and Anita Wlodarczyk will be contested for different aims when Chinese shot put icon Gong Lijiao will compete in her fifth Games as aiming her fourth Olympic medal. In both javelin final possibly will be staged a real battle for the Olympic crown.
THE DEFENDERS
SP M: Ryan Crouser, USA
SP W: Gong Lijiao, CHN
DT M: Daniel Stahl, SWE
DT W: Valarie Allman, USA
HT M: Wojciech Nowicki, POL
HT W: Anita Wlodarczyk, POL
JT M: Neeraj Chopra, IND
JT W: Liu Shiying, CHN
SEASON LEADERS – SINCE LAST GAMES
Shot Put Men
2022: Joe Kovacs (USA), 23.23
2023: Ryan Crouser (USA), 23.56 WR
2024: Joe Kovacs (USA), 23.13
Shot Put Women
2022: Chase Ealey (USA), 20.51
2023: Chase Ealey (USA), 20.76
2024: Sarah Mitton (CAN) 20.68
Discus Throw Men
2022: Daniel Stahl (SWE), 71.47
2023: Kristjan Ceh (SLO), 71.86
2024: Mykolas Alekna (LTU), 74.35 WR
Discus Throw Women
2022: Valerie Allman (USA), 71.46
2023: Valerie Allman (USA), 70.47
2024: Yaime Perez (CUB), 73.09
Hammer Throw Men
2022: Powel Fajdek (POL), 82.98
2023: Wojciech Nowicki (POL), 82.00
2024: Wojciech Nowicki (POL), 81.92
Hammer Throw Women
2022: DeAnna Price (USA), 80.31
2023: Brooke Andersen (USA), 79.02
2024: Brooke Andersen (USA), 80.17
Javelin Throw Men
2022: Johannes Vetter (GER), 96.29
2023: Anderson Peters (GRN), 93.07
2024: Jakub Wadlech (CZE), 89.51
Javelin Throw Women
2022: Maria Andrejczyk (POL), 71.40
2023: Kara Winger (USA), 68.11
2024: Haruka Kitaguchi (JPN) 67.38
THE RECORDS
Shot Put Men
WR: Ryan Crouser (USA) 23.56 – 2023
OR: Ryan Crouser (USA) 23.30 - 2021
Euro: Ulf Timmermann (GDR) 23.06 - 1988
Africa: Janus Robberts (RSA) 21.97 - 2001
Asia: Tajinderpal Singh (IND) 21.77 - 2023
NACAC: Ryan Crouser (USA) 23.56 – 2023
Oceania: Thomas Walsh (NZL) 22.90 - 2019
South America: Darlan Romani (BRA) 22.61 – 2019
Shot Put Women
WR: Natalya Lisovskaya (URS) 22.63 – 1987
OR: Ilona Slupianek (GDR) 22.41 – 1980
Euro: Natalya Lisovskaya (URS) 22.63 – 1987
Africa: Vivian Chukwuemeka (NGR) 18.43 - 2003
Asia: Meisu Li (CHN) 21.76 - 1988
NACAC: Belsy Laza (CUB) 20.96 - 1992
Oceania: Valerie Adams (NZL) 21.24 - 2011
South America: Elisangela Adriano (BRA) 19.30 – 2001
Discus Throw Men
WR: Mykolas Alekna (LTU) 74.35 – 2024
OR: Virgilius Alekna (LTU) 69.89 – 2004
Euro: Mykolas Alekna (LTU) 74.35 – 2024
Africa: Frantz Kruger (RSA) 70.32 - 2002
Asia: Ehsan Hadadi (IRI) 69.32 - 2008
NACAC: Ben Plucknett (USA) 71.32 - 1983
Oceania: Alex Rose (SAM) 71.48 - 2024
South America: Mauricio Ortega (COL) 70.29 - 2020
Discus Throw Women
WR: Gabriele Reisch (GDR) 76.80 – 1988
OR: Martina Hellmann (GDR) 72.30 – 1988
Euro: Gabriele Reisch (GDR) 76.80 – 1988
Africa: Chioma Okyekwere (NGR) 64.96 - 2023
Asia: Yanling Xiao (CHN) 71.68 - 1992
NACAC: Yaime Perez (CUB) 73.09 - 2024
Oceania: Dani Stevens (AUS) 69.64 - 2017
South America: Andressa De Morais (BRA) 65.34 - 2019
Hammer Throw Men
WR: Yuri Sedikh (URS) 86.74 - 1986
OR: Sergey Litvinov (URS) 84.80 - 1988
Euro: Yuri Sedikh (URS) 86.74 - 1986
Africa: Mostafa El Gamel (EGY) 81.27 - 2014
Asia: Koji Murofushi (JPN) 84.86 - 2003
NACAC: Ethan Katzberg (CAN) 84.38 - 2024
Oceania: Stuart Rendell (AUS) 79.29 - 2002
South America: Wagner Domingos (BRA) 78.63 - 2016
Hammer Throw Women
WR: Anita Wlodarczyk (POL) 82.98 - 2016
OR: Anita Wlodarczyk (POL) 82.29 - 2016
Euro: Anita Wlodarczyk (POL) 82.98 - 2016
Africa: Annette Echikunwoke (NGR) 75.49 - 2021
Asia: Zheng Wang (CHN) 77.68 - 2014
NACAC: DeAnne Price (USA) 80.31 - 2021
Oceania: Lauren Bruce (NZL) 74.61 - 2021
South America: Jennifer Dahlgren (ARG) 73.74 - 2010
Javelin Throw Men
WR: Jan Zelezny (CZE) 98.48 - 1996
OR: Andreas Thorkildsen (NOR) 90.57 - 2008
Euro: Jan Zelezny (CZE) 98.48 - 1996
Africa: Julius Yego (KEN) 92.72 - 2015
Asia: Chao-Tsun Cheng (TPE) 91.36 - 2017
NACAC: Anderson Peters (GRN) 93.07 - 2022
Oceania: Jarrod Bannister (AUS) 89.02 - 2008
South America: Luiz Da Silva (BRA) 85.57 - 2024
Javelin Throw Women
WR: Barbora Spotakova (CZE) 72.28 - 2008
OR: Olisdeilys Menendez (CUB) 71.53 - 2004
Euro: Barbora Spotakova (CZE) 72.28 - 2008
Africa: Sunette Viljoen (RSA) 69.35 - 2012
Asia: Huihui Lyu (CHN) 67.98 - 2019
NACAC: Olisdeilys Menendez (CUB) 71.70 - 2005
Oceania: Kathryn Mitchell (AUS) 68.92 - 2018
South America: Flor Ruiz (COL) 66.70 - 2024
THE RACE
TITLE DEFENCES
Shot Put Men
Parry O’Brien (USA) 1952-56
Tomas Majewski (POL) 2008-12
Ryan Crouser (USA) 2016-20
Shot Put Women
Tamara Press (URS) 1960-64
Valerie Adams (NZL) 2008-12
Discus Throw Men
Martin Sheridan (USA) 1904-08
Al Oerter (USA) 1956-60-64-68
Virgilijus Alekna (LTU) 2000-04
Discus Throw Women
Evelin Schlaak (GDR) 1976-80
Sandra Perkovic (CRO) 2012-16
Hammer Throw Men
John Flanagan (USA) 1900-04-08
Pat O’Callaghan (IRL) 1928-32
Yuriy Sedykh (URS) 1976-80
Hammer Throw Women
Anita Wlodarczyk (POL) 2012-16-20
Javelin Throw Men
Eric Lemming (SWE) 1908-12
Jonni Myyra (FIN) 1920-24
Jan Zelezny (CZE) 1992-96-00
Andreas Thorkildsen (NOR) 2004-08
Javelin Throw Women
Ruth Fuchs (GDR) 1972-76
Barbora Spotakova (CZE) 2008-12
CLOSEST FINISHES
SP M: 1972 Komar-Woods – 1 cm
SP W: 1984 Losch-Loghin – 1 cm
DT M: 1904 Sheridan-Rose – 0 cm
DT W: 1960 Press-Lotz – 5 cm
HT M: 1968 Zivotsky-Klim – 8 cm
HT W: 2012 Wlodarczyk-Heidler – 47 cm
JT M: 1972 Wolfermann-Lusis - 2 cm
JT W: 1932 Didriksen-Braumüller – 19 cm
BIGGEST GAPS IN FINISH
SP M: 1900 Sheldon-McCracker – 1.25 m
SP W: 1988 Lisovskaya-Neimke – 1.17 m
DT M: 1912 Taipale-Byrd – 2.89 m*
DT W: 1952 Ponomaryova-Bagriyantseva – 4.34 m
HT M: 1912 McGrath-Gillis – 6.35 m
HT W: 2016 Wlodarczyk-Wenxiu – 5.54 m
JT M: 1976 Nemeth-Siitonen – 6.64 m
JT W: 2004 Menendez-Nerius 5.71 m
* In 1906 Intercalated Games: Sheridan-Georgantas – 3.40 m
NOTES
> Surprise Tokyo winner Liu Shiying of China is only absentee among the title defence seekers. Chinese javelin thrower has not been selected by NOC.
> World record holder Mykolas Alekna will challenge against his father Virigilijus 20-year-old Olympic record.
> If she wins, the Polish superhero Anita Wlodarczyk will be only second thrower to have four consecutive gold in a throwing event at the Olympics history by joining American great discus legend, Al Oerter.
> Wlodarczyk is also the only athlete who holds Olympic, World and European records simultaneously in a throwing event at the moment.
> World record holder putter Ryan Crouser will be first man to have a hat-trick in shot put at age of 31.
