“Don’t hold the javelin like a pen”

Short of moving to Finland, what is the best way of learning how to properly throw a javelin? The answer, of course, is to take advice from the best. And Thomas Röhler is undoubtedly one of the best. 

The 2016 Olympic champion in the men’s javelin is also a seasoned campaigner in the Wanda Diamond League. As well as ten career victories on the circuit, he was also crowned Diamond League champion in 2014 and still holds the series record thanks to a photographer-endangering 93.90m monster throw at the season opener in Doha back in 2017. 

So how do you get that much power behind the javelin? In the latest of our series of how-to videos, the German superstar gives a two-minute crash course in the art of the Speerwurf. 

The first thing is to get the grip right. Weighing at least 800 grams and measuring at least 260 centimetres in the men’s event, the javelin is a cumbersome thing if not handled properly. The key, says Röhler, is lightness of touch: “You don’t grab the javelin like a pen, you grab it nice and easy.”

Next is the run-up, the crossovers which provide the acceleration into the throw and the front-leg block which keeps the thrower from tumbling over the line. “That’s the most important part,” says Röhler. “The force comes from the back leg, and the block breaks it all down.”

Arm position is of course also a crucial part of any throwing discipline. “Make sure your throwing arm is nice and long, and it’s always important to turn your elbow up,” says Röhler.

In an event won on distance as opposed to height, it’s also crucial to get the flight path right. Here, says Röhler, it’s all about setting your sights correctly. “Look at something on the horizon so you get a nice clean angle,” the German explains. 

And if you’re Thomas Röhler, it’s also worth making sure that the cameraman is standing at least 100 metres away before you let the thing fly.