What is the men's javelin throw world record? Full list of highest throws

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Neeraj Chopra became the first Indian athlete to cross the 90-metre mark in the javelin throw event, achieving the milestone at the 2025 Doha Diamond League with a throw of 90.23 metres. This was the first time the 27-year-old had breached the 90-metre mark in his javelin career.

 

Neeraj had previously won the gold medal at the 2021 Tokyo Olympics—held a year later due to the COVID-19 pandemic—with a throw of 87.58 metres.

 

While in the 2024 Paris Olympics, Neeraj came second with a throw of 89.45 metres and won the silver medal.

 

Interestingly, Neeraj has been training under Jan Železný, the current world record holder in the javelin throw. 

Javelin throw records and rankings in Athletics

  Who holds the world record for the longest javelin throw? 

The world record for the javelin throw is held by Jan Železný of the Czech Republic with a phenomenal distance of 98.48 metres, set in 1996.

 

Who are the top five javelin throwers in history based on best throws?

  As of now, the top five all-time best javelin throws are:

 

• Jan Zelezny (CZE) – 98.48m
• Johannes Vetter (GER) – 97.76m
• Thomas Röhler (GER) – 93.90m
• Aki Parviainen (FIN) – 93.09m
• Anderson Peters (GRN) – 93.03m

 

Where does Neeraj Chopra rank among the best javelin throwers in history?

  India’s Neeraj Chopra currently ranks 24th on the all-time list of best javelin throws with a personal best of 90.23 metres, achieved at the Doha Diamond League 2025.

 

How many athletes have thrown over 90 metres in javelin history? 

A total of 26 athletes have crossed the 90-metre mark in the history of men’s javelin throw. This feat is considered a benchmark of elite performance in the sport.

 

Is Julian Weber among the top 20 javelin throwers ever?

  Yes, Julian Weber of Germany ranks 17th on the all-time list with a best throw of 91.06 metres.

 

Which countries dominate the javelin throw historically? 

Historically, countries like Germany, Finland, and the Czech Republic have produced some of the best javelin throwers. Notably, Germany has multiple throwers in the top 10 including Johannes Vetter, Thomas Röhler, and Raymond Hecht.  Top five Neeraj Chopra's best throws in javelin throw events

 

Who is the highest-ranked Asian javelin thrower?

  Arshad Nadeem of Pakistan holds the highest javelin throw by an Asian athlete with a distance of 92.97 metres, placing him 6th on the all-time list.

 

What is considered an elite javelin throw distance in men’s athletics? 

Any throw above 90 metres is regarded as elite in men’s javelin. It typically places an athlete among the top in the world and historically among the best ever.

 

Are there active athletes still achieving 90m+ throws today? 

Yes, several current athletes—including Neeraj Chopra, Julian Weber, Jakub Vadlejch, and Max Dehning—have all recorded throws beyond 90 metres in recent competitions.

 

Javelin throw best throws world records
Rank	Athlete	Country	Best Throw (m)
1	Jan Zelezny	CZE	98.48
2	Johannes Vetter	GER	97.76
3	Thomas Rohler	GER	93.9
4	Aki Parviainen	FIN	93.09
5	Andersen Peters	GRE	93.03
6	Arshad Nadeem	PAK	92.97
7	Julius Yego	KEN	92.72
8	Sergey Makarov	RUS	92.61
9	Raymond Hecht	GER	92.6
10	Andreas Hoffman	GER	92.06
11	Konstantinos Gatsioudis	GRE	91.69
12	Andreas Thorkildsen	NOR	91.59
13	Tero Pitkamaki	FIN	91.53
14	Steve Backley	GBR	91.46
15	Chao-Tsun Cheng	TPE	91.36
16	Breaux Greer	USA	91.29
17	Julian Weber	GER	91.06
18	Jakub Vadlejch	CZE	90.88
19	Kimmo Kinnunen	FIN	90.82
20	Vadims Vasilevskis	LAT	90.73
21	Magnus Kirt	EST	90.61
22	Seppo Raty	FIN	90.6
23	Boris Henry	GER	90.44
24	Neeraj Chopra	IND	90.23
25	Max Dehning	GER	90.2
26	Keshorn Walcott	TTO	90.16