Hammer throw is a track and field event in which athletes throw a hammer (metal ball) as far as they can. The hammer in men’s competition weighs 7.26 kilograms (16 pounds) and is 121.5 centimeters (3 feet 11 3/4 inches) long. The women’s hammer weighs 4 kilograms (8.8 pounds) and is 119.5 centimeters (3 feet 11 inches) long. The thrower holds the hammer with a metal grip that is connected to the ball by a steel wire. The athlete throws the hammer from a circle 2.13 meters (7 feet) in diameter.
At the beginning of the throw, the athlete faces the back of the circle and places the feet wide apart. The thrower grips the metal handle with both hands, then swings the hammer around his or her head. When the hammer has gained enough momentum, the thrower takes three or four spins across the circle.
A right-handed thrower spins on the left foot to increase the speed of the hammer. At the end of the last spin, he or she has developed great momentum in the whirling hammer, which is then released. The length of the throw is measured from the edge of the circle to the nearest mark made by the hammer.
