The javelin throw is one of the oldest athletics disciplines, and the Czech Republic has an exceptionally strong tradition in the event. Its greatest figure is Jan Železný – a three-time Olympic champion and one of the most successful javelin throwers of all time. On 25 May 1996, Železný set off from his home to Jena, Germany. It was not a major competition, just a smaller meet across the border.
He took his wife and two small children along on the trip, packing his javelins into the boot of the car. He simply wanted to test his form. The conditions, however, were ideal: a warm spring evening and a light tailwind. After two very long throws came the third attempt. Železný sprinted forward, drew back his arm and released the yellow javelin with tremendous force.
The power of the throw hurled him forward and he landed on his knees – and when he looked up, he saw the javelin landing deep in the grass. “It’s there!” he shouted. The scoreboard showed 98.48 m. The stadium erupted with excitement, and his family in the stands witnessed a moment that entered history. A record that remains unbeaten 30 years on Železný was in extraordinary form at the time.
He regularly threw beyond 90 metres and dominated world competitions. Even so, his record-breaking throw surprised experts as well. Since 1986, competitions had been held with a heavier type of javelin that travelled shorter distances. Coming close to the 100-metre mark with this implement had seemed almost impossible.
His rivals – such as Britain’s Steve Backley and Finland’s Seppo Räty – were among the best in the world, but they never came close to Železný’s performance. It was only in 2020 that Germany’s Johannes Vetter threw 97.76 m, less than a metre short of the record. Even he, however, did not break the barrier. Železný himself later explained that the key was not only strength, but the perfect combination of technique, speed and coordination. “You have to put everything together. That is the secret of the javelin,” he says.
After 1996, Železný went on to win another Olympic gold medal as well as a world championship title. However, he never improved his record again – injuries and changes in training stood in the way.
Even so, his performance in Jena remains one of the greatest achievements in athletics history.