Event overview
The men's javelin throw at the 2012 Summer Olympics was contested at the Olympic Stadium in London, United Kingdom. The competition comprised a qualification round on 8 August 2012 and a final on 9 August 2012.
Participants
- Competitors: 44 athletes
- Nations: 28
Qualification standards
Athletes could qualify for the Games by meeting the Olympic entry standard of 82.00 m during the designated qualification period. For the Olympic competition itself, the automatic‑qualifying distance for the qualification round was set at 82.00 m; if fewer than twelve athletes achieved this mark, the twelve best performers (by distance) advanced to the final.
Competition format
- Qualification round: Each athlete received three throws. Those who achieved the automatic‑qualifying distance (≥ 82.00 m) or were among the twelve longest throws progressed to the final.
- Final: The twelve qualifiers each threw three times. The top eight after these attempts earned three additional throws, for a total of six attempts. The longest single throw determined the final ranking.
Schedule (local time, UTC+1)
- Qualification: 8 August 2012, 10:00 – 12:30
- Final: 9 August 2012, 21:00 – 22:30
Medalists
| Medal | Athlete | Nation | Winning distance |
|---|---|---|---|
| Gold | Keshorn Walcott | Trinidad and Tobago (TRI) | 84.58 m |
| Silver | Vítězslav Veselý | Czech Republic (CZE) | 84.51 m |
| Bronze | Oleksandr Pyatnytskyi | Ukraine (UKR) | 84.39 m |
Records
- World record (pre‑event): 98.48 m – Jan Železný (Czech Republic), set 1996.
- Olympic record (pre‑event): 90.57 m – Jan Železný (Czech Republic), set 2000.
No world or Olympic records were broken during the 2012 competition.
Results summary
Qualification round – The automatic qualifying mark of 82.00 m was not reached by any athlete; the twelve finalists were the top twelve distances recorded in the round.
Final – Keshorn Walcott secured the gold medal with a throw of 84.58 m on his fifth attempt. The competition was decided by narrow margins, with Veselý and Pyatnytskyi separated from the winner by 0.07 m and 0.19 m respectively.
References
- Official London 2012 Olympic Games website – Athletics results archive.
- International Association of Athletics Federations (IAAF) competition records.
All information reflects data available from verified Olympic and athletics governing‑body sources.
