Hammer Throw

The sport known as hammer throwing is a sport that belongs to the branch of athletics in which a metallic object called a hammer is thrown at a certain distance, using both hands within a throwing circle . This practice is considered one of the most difficult in the field of sport and can be practiced by both men and women.

What is the hammer throw?

In the modern technique of the sport, a thrower must perform three complete turns of the body quickly within a given area before throwing the weight . The strength , the balance and the right time to launch by the athlete are essential. If the athlete gets on or off the circle, the shot will be a miss or if the hammer falls outside of a 40 ° sector marked on the field from the center of the circle. In order to measure the throw after the ball is thrown, the ball must land within a marked 40 degree sector and the athlete must not leave the circle before the hammertouch the ground . The pitcher generally makes three or four spins before releasing the ball. Athletes generally shoot four or six times per contest. In the event of a tie , the winner will be the athlete with the best distance and effort.

Story

The sport began thousands of years ago in the British Isles and according to the stories, they go back to the Tailteann Games that were held in Ireland around 2000 BC, when the Celtic hero Cú Chulainn took in his hands a wheel of a cart on its axis, turned it around its head and pulled it farther than any other individual could have done. The wheel launch was replaced by a rock attached to the end of a wooden handle . The different forms that existed of hammer throwing were practiced among the ancient Teutonic tribes in religious festivals in honor of the god Thor,and hammer throwing was practiced in Scotland and England in the 15th and 16th centuries.

Technique

The athlete must stand on the side back of the circle looking back, place the feet on the shoulder width apart or slightly wider with the handle in the left hand and right hand placed on the left. The right foot is placed pointing forward and should stay in place without moving, the knees should be slightly bent . With the handle gripped with both hands, you should keep your feet in the same place, rotate the ball, tracing circles that pass above and below your head, up to the height of the knees. Once the hammer picks up speed , the caster turns on itselftwo or three times to further accelerate the hammer ball and then release it upward and forward at an angle of approximately 45º. The hammer must land within an already established field , winning the event who gets the greatest distance at the end of the three regulatory throws per athlete.

Hammer Throw Rules

• The implement used for the launch must be certified to guarantee the proper weight, length, diameter, handle and center of gravity .
• The minimum weight of the hammer for adult men is 7.26 kg, 6 kg for young men, and 4 kg for women of any age.
• The maximum length for men is 121.5 cm and 119.5 cm for women.
• The minimum length for men is 117.7 cm for men and for women it is 116 cm.
• The minimum diameter that a ball can have is 110 mm for men and 95 mm for women.
• The caster must stay within the circle until the hammer hits the ground and must wait until the implement is on the ground to get out of the back half of the circle.
• Any pitch that lands in the sector and is not a foot foul is a legal pitch.
• Participants have three opportunities to launch.

Phases of the hammer throw

The hammer throw is based on five different phases that are:

Track

The track to carry out this launch is a circle of 2.15 m in diameter, made of cement or a similar surface which is placed inside a safety cage , protected with nets.

Hammer Features

• It is a metal sphere with different weights for women and men.
• It has a handle and a wire .
• The hammer head should have a diameter of 110 to 130 millimeters.
• The hammer’s center of gravity must be six millimeters from the center and be attached by a chain or wire
• The grip is shaped like a triangle .

Sneakers

Shoes to practice hammer throw must be specially made of reinforced rubber sole , with a fabric lining and have velcro on the midfoot.