Jan Železný

Jan Železný
	File:Železný 2012.JPG
Personal information
Nationality	Czech
Born	16 June 1966 (age 58); Mladá Boleslav, Czech Republic
Height	1.86 m (6 ft 1 in)
Weight	88 kg (194 lb; 13.9 st)
Sport
Country	Czechoslovakia (1987–1992); Czech Republic (1993–2006)
Sport	Track and field
Event(s)	Javelin Throw
Turned pro	1986
Retired	2006
Now coaching	Vítězslav Veselý
Achievements and titles
World finals	1987 Rome: Javelin throw; Bronze; 1993 Stuttgart: Javelin throw; Gold; 1995 Gothenburg: Javelin throw; Gold; 1999 Seville: Javelin throw; Bronze; 2001 Edmonton:Javelin throw; Gold;
Olympic finals	1988 Summer Olympics: Javelin throw; Silver; 1992 Summer Olympics: Javelin throw; Gold; 1996 Summer Olympics: Javelin throw; Gold; 2000 Summer Olympics: Javelin throw; Gold;
Personal best(s)	WR 98.48 (Jena 1996)
	Men’s athletics
	Representing Czechoslovakia
	Olympic Games
World Championships
	Representing Czech Republic
	Olympic Games
	World Championships
	European Championships
	Updated on 6 July 2012.

Jan Železný (Czech pronunciation: [ˈjan ʒɛˈlɛzniː] ( listen)) (born 16 June 1966) is a Czech javelin thrower, world and Olympic champion and world record holder. He holds the top five javelin performances of all time.^[1]

Biography

Železný was born in Mladá Boleslav, Czechoslovakia. He won the gold at the 1992, 1996 and 2000 Summer Olympic Games and silver in the 1988 Olympics as well as three World Championship titles; in 1993, 1995 and 2001. Because of his achievements he is widely considered to be the all-time greatest javelin thrower.

Železný holds the world record, at 98.48 metres (323 ft 1 in) set in 1996, and the World Championships record of 92.80 m, set in 2001. As of 4 August 2013, Železný has made 53 of the total 99 throws over 90 meters, while second place on the list is shared by Andreas Thorkildsen and Aki Parviainen by eight throws over 90 meters each. On 26 March 1997 in Stellenbosch, South Africa Železný threw 5 times over the 90m barrier in a single meeting. Železný is also the only athlete to throw more than 94 meters with the new type of javelin, something he achieved five times.^[1]

During his career he has had many great battles against the likes of Steve Backley, Sergey Makarov, Boris Henry, Seppo Räty, Raymond Hecht and Aki Parviainen.

He planned to retire after the 2006 European Championships in Gothenburg, where he won the bronze with a throw of 85.92 m. He took leave of his career on 19 September 2006 on exhibition in Mladá Boleslav, the place where he started with athletics.

He will continue working for the IOC and as a coach in Prague.^{[citation needed]} He coaches Vítězslav Veselý,^[2] and he used to coach Barbora Špotáková.^[3]

International competitions

Year	Competition	Venue	Position	Event	Notes
Representing Czechoslovakia
1983	European Junior Championships	Schwechat, Austria	6th	Javelin (old)	71.26 m
1985	European Junior Championships	Cottbus, East Germany	4th	Javelin (old)	75.10 m
1986	European Championships	Stuttgart, West Germany	18th (q)	Javelin	75.90 m
1987	World Championships	Rome, Italy	3rd	Javelin	82.20 m
1988	Olympic Games	Seoul, South Korea	2nd	Javelin	84.12 m
1990	European Championships	Split, Yugoslavia	13th (q)	Javelin	77.64 m
1991	World Championships	Tokyo, Japan	18th (q)	Javelin	76.26 m
1992	Olympic Games	Barcelona, Spain	1st	Javelin	89.66 m
Representing the Czech Republic
1993	World Championships	Stuttgart, Germany	1st	Javelin	85.98 m
1994	European Championships	Helsinki, Finland	3rd	Javelin	82.58 m
1995	World Championships	Gothenburg, Sweden	1st	Javelin	89.58 m
1996	Olympic Games	Atlanta, United States	1st	Javelin	88.16 m
1997	World Championships	Athens, Greece	9th	Javelin	82.04 m
1999	World Championships	Seville, Spain	3rd	Javelin	87.67 m
2000	Olympic Games	Sydney, Australia	1st	Javelin	90.17 m
2001	World Championships	Edmonton, Canada	1st	Javelin	92.80 m
2001	Goodwill Games	Brisbane, Australia	1st	Javelin	87.52 m
2002	European Championships	Munich, Germany	11th	Javelin	NM
2003	World Championships	Paris, France	4th	Javelin	84.09 m
2004	Olympic Games	Athens, Greece	9th	Javelin	80.59 m
2006	European Championships	Gothenburg, Sweden	3rd	Javelin	85.92 m

Seasonal bests by year

1986 - 82.48
1987 - 87.66
1988 - 86.88
1989 - 84.74
1991 - 90.40
1992 - 90.18
1993 - 95.66
1994 - 91.82
1995 - 92.28
1996 - 98.48 WR
1997 - 94.02
1999 - 89.06
2000 - 90.59
2001 - 92.80
2002 - 87.77
2003 - 89.06
2004 - 86.12
2005 - 83.98
2006 - 86.07

References

↑ ^1.0 ^1.1 IAAF toplists
↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
↑ Špotáková končí spolupráci s trenérem Železným

External links

Jan Železný profile at IAAF

Records
Preceded by Steve Backley	Men's javelin world record holder 6 April 1993 – present	Succeeded by Incumbent
Awards and achievements
Preceded by Robert Změlík Dominik Hašek Tomáš Dvořák	Czech Athlete of the Year 1993 1995 2000, 2011	Succeeded by 3Aleš Valenta Martin Doktor
Preceded by Jonathan Edwards Tomáš Dvořák	Men's European Athlete of the Year 1996 2000	Succeeded by Wilson Kipketer André Bucher
Preceded by Michael Johnson	IAAF World Athlete of the Year 2000	Succeeded by Hicham El Guerrouj