Jan Železný

Czech javelin thrower widely considered the greatest in history, the only man to win three Olympic javelin gold medals and holder of a 1996 world record that remains unbroken three decades later.

Born on 16 June 1966 in Mladá Boleslav, Czechoslovakia, Jan Železný broke his first javelin world record at age 20 in 1987. After settling for silver at the 1988 Seoul Olympics behind Finland's Tapio Korjus on the final throw, Železný went on to dominate the event for over a decade. Železný won Olympic gold at the 1992 Barcelona Games with his very first throw of the final, then successfully defended his title at Atlanta 1996 and Sydney 2000, becoming the only javelin thrower in Olympic history to win three gold medals. He also won three World Championship titles (1993, 1995, 2001), the only man ever to win the event's world title more than once. His signature moment came on 25 May 1996 at a minor meet in Jena, Germany, where he threw 98.48 metres — nearly three metres beyond his own existing world record. The throw remains unbroken three decades later, the closest anyone has come being Germany's Johannes Vetter at 97.76m in 2020. Železný managed 52 throws beyond 90 metres over his career, more than all other javelin throwers combined. Železný retired following the 2006 season, having competed at five Olympics and won six world javelin gold medals overall including indoor and outdoor titles. He was elected an IOC member in 1999 and has an asteroid, 9224 Železný, named in his honour.

Technically precise, explosive throwing action

Widely regarded as the greatest javelin thrower in history