Weight throw

Weight throw, 2002 Celtic Festival.

Two sports have events that fall under the name of weight throw one being the track and field event and the other being the Scottish highland games events.

The track and field event is most popular in the United States as an indoor equivalent to the hammer throw event, which can only be held outdoors. The 35lb weight throw (men) and 20lb weight throw (women) are not recognised by the International Association of Athletics Federations.

The Scottish Highland Games contain two weight throwing events. In the one event the weight, 28lb or 56lb, is thrown in a similar manner to a discus. In the other event, the 56lb weight gets thrown over a bar for height.

Weight throw for distance[]

The 56-pound weight throw was conducted twice at the Olympic Games, in 1904 and in 1920.

All-time top 25[]

• O = Outdoor performance
• A = affected by altitude

Men[]

Rank	Result	Athlete	Nationality	Date	Place	Ref
1	25.86 m (84 ft 10 in)	Lance Deal	United States	4 March 1995	Atlanta
2	25.68 m (84 ft 3 in)	Libor Charfreitag	Slovakia	5 March 2005	Sterling
3	25.58 m (83 ft 11 in)		United States	28 February 2015	Geneva
4	25.31 m (83 ft 1⁄4 in) A	Conor McCullough	United States	14 February 2020	Albuquerque	[1]
5	25.18 m (82 ft 7+1⁄4 in)	A. G. Kruger	United States	20 January 2012	Findlay
6	25.17 m (82 ft 6+3⁄4 in) O	Jüri Tamm	Estonia	11 July 1992	Mäntyharju	[2]
7	25.12 m (82 ft 4+3⁄4 in)	Kibwé Johnson	United States	24 February 2008	Boston
8	25.04 m (82 ft 1+3⁄4 in) A	Daniel Haugh	United States	14 February 2020	Albuquerque	[3]
9	24.72 m (81 ft 1 in)	Scott Russell	Canada	8 February 2002	Ames
10	24.60 m (80 ft 8+1⁄2 in) A	Daniel Roberts	United States	14 February 2020	Albuquerque	[4]
11	24.48 m (80 ft 3+3⁄4 in)	Jake Freeman	United States	12 February 2009	Riverdale
12	24.43 m (80 ft 1+3⁄4 in)	Andras Haklits	Croatia	9 March 2001	Fayetteville	[5]
13	24.42 m (80 ft 1+1⁄4 in) A	Alex Young	United States	14 February 2020	Albuquerque	[6]
14	24.40 m (80 ft 1⁄2 in)		United States	4 February 2011	Findlay
15	24.39 m (80 ft 0 in)	Chukwuebuka Enekwechi	United States	13 February 2015	West Lafayette
		Jud Logan	United States	28 February 1992	Princeton
17	24.38 m (79 ft 11+3⁄4 in) A O	Cory Martin	United States	27 February 2010	Albuquerque
18	24.38 m (79 ft 11+3⁄4 in)	Gleb Dudarev	Belarus	23 January 2020	Lawrence
19	24.20 m (79 ft 4+3⁄4 in)		United States	31 January 2015	Bloomington
20	24.11 m (79 ft 1 in)	Payton Otterdahl	United States	9 March 2019	Birmingham	[7]
21	24.08 m (79 ft 0 in)	James Steacy	Canada	13 March 2009	Windsor
22	24.02 m (78 ft 9+1⁄2 in)		United States	10 March 2018	College Station	[8]
23	24.01 m (78 ft 9+1⁄4 in)	Dan Taylor	United States	21 February 2004	Columbus
24	23.96 m (78 ft 7+1⁄4 in)		United States	11 March 2016	Portland
25	23.94 m (78 ft 6+1⁄2 in) A		Norway	25 February 1984	Colorado Springs	[9]
	23.94 m (78 ft 6+1⁄2 in) O	Nicola Vizzoni	Italy	17 April 2009	Pietrasanta	[2]

Notes[]

Below is a list of additional performances (excluding ancillary throws) equal or superior to 24.48m.

• Lance Deal also threw 25.48 (1996), 25.41 (1991), 24.90 (1995), 24.84 (1993) and 24.82 (1993).
• Libor Charfreitag also threw 25.28 (2005), 25.26 (2008), 25.03 (2003), 24.88 (2011), 24.86 (2003) and 24.68 (2005).
• A. G. Kruger also threw 24.99 (2010), 24.78 (2007) and 24.68 (2012).
• Kibwé Johnson also threw 25.08 (2007).
• also threw 24.91 (2015).
• Daniel Haugh also threw 24.70 (2020).
• Conor McCullough also threw 24.48 (2018).

Women[]

Rank	Result	Athlete	Nationality	Date	Place	Ref
1	25.60 m (83 ft 11+3⁄4 in) i A	Gwen Berry	United States	4 March 2017	Albuquerque	[10]
2	25.56 m (83 ft 10+1⁄4 in) i	Brittany Riley	United States	10 March 2007	Fayetteville
3	25.08 m (82 ft 3+1⁄4 in) i	Janeah Stewart	United States	7 December 2019	Carbondale
4	24.93 m (81 ft 9+1⁄4 in) i		United States	13 February 2021	Terre Haute	[11]
5	24.78 m (81 ft 3+1⁄2 in) i A	Amber Campbell	United States	25 February 2012	Albuquerque
	24.78 m (81 ft 3+1⁄2 in) i	Annette Echikunwoke	United States	16 February 2018	Columbus	[12]
7	24.71 m (81 ft 3⁄4 in) i	DeAnna Price	United States	18 January 2020	Charleston
8	24.46 m (80 ft 2+3⁄4 in) i	Erin Gilreath	United States	25 February 2005	Boston
		Oyesade Olatoye	Nigeria	9 March 2019	Birmingham	[13]
10	24.37 m (79 ft 11+1⁄4 in) i		United States	24 February 2018	Geneva	[14]
11	24.24 m (79 ft 6+1⁄4 in) i	Jeneva Stevens	United States	19 January 2018	Nashville	[15]
12	24.22 m (79 ft 5+1⁄2 in) i A	Felisha Johnson	United States	4 March 2017	Albuquerque
13	24.21 m (79 ft 5 in) i	Candice Scott	Trinidad and Tobago	27 February 2005	Fayetteville
14	24.06 m (78 ft 11 in) i		Greece	23 February 2019	Fayetteville	[16]
15	24.04 m (78 ft 10+1⁄4 in) i	Jennifer Dahlgren	Argentina	10 March 2006	Fayetteville
	24.04 m (78 ft 10+1⁄4 in) i A	Jessica Ramsey	United States	4 March 2017	Albuquerque
17	23.73 m (77 ft 10+1⁄4 in) i	Ida Storm	Sweden	15 February 2017	Malmö	[17]
18	23.61 m (77 ft 5+1⁄2 in) i	Sultana Frizell	Canada	25 February 2017	Anderson	[18]
19	23.60 m (77 ft 5 in) i	Dawn Ellerbe	United States	4 March 2000	Atlanta
20	23.56 m (77 ft 3+1⁄2 in) i	Anna Mahon	United States	1 February 2002	New York City
21	23.50 m (77 ft 1 in) i		United States	30 January 2021	Grand Forks	[19]
22	23.42 m (76 ft 10 in) i A		United States	18 February 2018	Albuquerque	[20]
23	23.33 m (76 ft 6+1⁄2 in) i		United States	16 February 2019	Manhattan	[21]
24	23.26 m (76 ft 3+1⁄2 in)	Laulauga Tausaga-Collins	United States	2 February 2019	Lincoln	[22]
25	23.24 m (76 ft 2+3⁄4 in) i		United States	25 February 2021	Fayetteville	[23]

Notes[]

Below is a list of additional performances (excluding ancillary throws) equal or superior to 24.30m:

• Gwen Berry also threw 25.27 m (82 ft 10+3⁄4 in) (2018), 24.85 m (81 ft 6+1⁄4 in) (2018), 24.77 m (81 ft 3 in) (2017), 24.70 m (81 ft 1⁄4 in) (2013), 24.51 m (80 ft 4+3⁄4 in) (2016) and 24.39 m (80 ft 0 in) (2014).
• Brittany Riley also threw 25.34 m (83 ft 1+1⁄2 in) (2008), 25.12 m (82 ft 4+3⁄4 in) (2012), 24.57 m (80 ft 7+1⁄4 in) (2007) and 24.35 m (79 ft 10+1⁄2 in) (2012).
• Janeah Stewart also threw 25.05 m (82 ft 2 in) (2020), 24.82 m (81 ft 5 in) (2019), 24.80 m (81 ft 4+1⁄4 in) (2019), 24.62 m (80 ft 9+1⁄4 in) (2020) and 24.58 m (80 ft 7+1⁄2 in) (2020).
• Amber Campbell also threw 24.70 m (81 ft 1⁄4 in) (2010), 24.54 m (80 ft 6 in) (2007), 24.43 m (80 ft 1+3⁄4 in) (2009), 24.33 m (79 ft 9+3⁄4 in) (2016) and 24.32 m (79 ft 9+1⁄4 in) (2010).
• DeAnna Price also threw 24.57 m (80 ft 7+1⁄4 in) (2019), 24.52 m (80 ft 5+1⁄4 in) (2019), 24.51 m (80 ft 4+3⁄4 in) (2018) and 24.30 m (79 ft 8+1⁄2 in) A (2017).

Note that Gwen Berry threw 24.35m in 2016 but the performance was annulled due to violation of anti-doping procedues^[24]

International competition[]

The event, held outdoors and indoors, is a World Championship and world record event in World Masters Athletics. Outdoors, it is also the final event of the Throws pentathlon. Masters athletics has different weight specifications for different age groups.^[25]

Indoor event[]

The weight throw is an indoor track and field event, predominately in the US. The technique implemented to throw the weight is similar to that of the hammer throw in outdoor competition. In international competition, the men's weight is a 35 lb ball (25 for high school) with a D-ring or triangle handle attached directly to the weight. The technique in wide use is to start in a throwing circle with the thrower's back to the landing area. The weight is then swung overhead to gain momentum before transitioning into the spinning position. The thrower then turns heel to toe up to four times across the ring and toward the front of the circle. At the front of the circle, the thrower releases the weight over his/her shoulder and into the landing area. The landing area is a sector of 34.92° which is identical to the Hammer throw, Discus throw and Shot Put. Because of the demands of the landing area, USATF rules allow for the event as part of an indoor meet to be held outdoors. The world best for men is 25.41 m (outdoor) and 25.86 m (84'10") (indoor) and is held by American Lance Deal. For women, who throw a weight of 20 lb, the world best is 24.57 m (80'07½") (outdoor) set by Brittany Riley of Southern Illinois University on 27 January 2007 and 25.60 m (indoor), by Gwen Berry, on 4 March 2017.

The weight throw event has had an enduring history in American track and field. It was a national championship event for men outdoors from 1878 to 1965.^[26] Despite the decline of such outdoor contests in the United States, the event has been a mainstay of the USA Indoor Track and Field Championships: the men's 35 lb event has been held from 1932 to present and a women's 20 lb weight throw event was introduced in 1991.^[27][28] The weight throw is also present on the event programme of the NCAA Men's and NCAA Women's Indoor Track and Field Championships.

The Superweight Throw uses implements similar in construction to the regular weight throw but with heavier implements. The event was part of two Olympic Games in 1904 and 1920.^[29][30] Though no longer officially sanctioned by the IAAF, it still is contested as a novelty event at various competitions, including the USATF Master's Indoor Championship.^[31]

Highland games[]

In the Highland Games, the weight throw consists of two separate events, the light weight and the heavy weight. In both cases, the implement consists of a steel or lead weight (usually spherical or cylindrical) attached by a short chain to a metal handle. The handle may be a d-ring, a triangle or a ring. The size of the weight depends on the class of the competition.

For advanced male athletes, the light weight is 28 lb, or two stone (12.7 kg). The heavy weight is 56 lb, or four stone (25.4 kg). For all female athletes, the weights are 14 and 28 lb (6.35 and 12.7 kg). For male master class or senior athletes, the weights are 28 and 42 lb (12.7 and 19.05 kg).

The weight is thrown one-handed from a rectangular (4.5 feet by 9 feet) area behind a toe board or trig. The athlete must stay behind the trig at all times during the throw. The techniques vary, but usually involve a turning or spinning motion to increase momentum before the release. Each athlete gets three attempts, with places determined by the best throw.

• Weight Throw Record (28 lb): Gregor Edmunds, 95' 10" Markinch, Scotland, 2011.

Weight throw for height[]

A man throwing a weight over a bar at the 2009 Highland Games

The weight over the bar, or weight throw for height, is contested at highland games in Scotland and elsewhere, and at track and field events in Ireland.

The weight is thrown one-handed over a bar set at increasing heights above the thrower. Similar to the high jump or pole vault, the thrower has three attempts for each successive height. Places are determined by maximum height reached with the fewest misses.

The size of the weight varies with the competition class. Advanced male athletes throw a 25 kg (56 lb. or four stone) weight, female athletes throw a 12 kg (28 lb.) weight and male master class or senior athletes throw a 19 kg (42 lb). weight. There are two techniques for this event. The classic technique swings the weight between the legs before pulling the weight up and directly overhead. The alternate technique (which is not allowed in some games) involves a spinning motion, with the athlete throwing from the side.

• 

  At the 2007 Oakland Scottish Highland Games

Ireland[]

Athletics Ireland recognises the weight throw for height and distance.^[32] The weight is 56 lbs at senior level, and 35 lbs in underage level.^[32] It is mainly a men's event, though women's weight throw for distance is contested at university level.^[32] The height event proceeds in a manner similar to the high jump and pole vault, with throwers required to clear a bar progressively raised. The Irish records are:^[33]

• height: 4.93 m (Gerry O'Connell, 1986)
• distance: 9.16 m (John Menton, 1998)

In Ireland, a 56 lb weight is used for both height and distance weight throw events.^[33]

References[]

Wikisource has the text of the 1911 Encyclopædia Britannica article "Weight-throwing".