Origins & Early Life

Jan Železný (Czech pronunciation: [jan ˈʒɛlɛzniː] ; born 16 June 1966) is a Czech former track and field athlete who competed in the javelin throw. He is a World and Olympic champion and holds the world record with a throw of 98.48 metres (323 ft 1 in). Widely considered the greatest javelin thrower of the modern era, he also has the fourth, fifth, and sixth best performances of all time. He broke the world record a total of four times.

Pivotal Works & Achievements

Železný was born in Mladá Boleslav, Czechoslovakia. He won the silver medal in the 1988 Olympics and the gold medal at the 1992, 1996 and 2000 Summer Olympic Games. He won World Championship titles in 1993, 1995 and 2001. Železný holds the world record of 98.48 metres (323 ft 1 in), set in 1996, and the World Championships record of 92.80 metres (304 ft 6 in), set in 2001. On 26 March 1997, in Stellenbosch, South Africa, he threw over the 90-metre barrier five times in a single meet.

Enduring Legacy & Impact

Until September 2020, he was also the only athlete to throw more than 95 metres with the new type of javelin, something he achieved three times. During his career, Železný had many great battles against the likes of Steve Backley, Sergey Makarov, Boris Henry...

Contemporary Figures & Related Historical Timelines

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