On August 7, Subedar Neeraj Chopra scripted history by winning a gold medal in the men’s javelin throw at the Tokyo Olympics 2020.
Neeraj Chopra became only the second Indian after shooter Abhinav Bindra, who bagged gold in Beijing 2008 to win an individual gold medal at the Olympics on Saturday with his 87.58 m throw.
Chopra in his very first attempt topped the list with throw of 87.03m. Brimming with confidence, Chopra sent his second attempt even further to 87.58m- highest in the finals. However, in the third round, he finished at 76.79 m.
Javelin Throw, techniques, forces and everything you must know:
The javelin throw is a track and field event in which a spear about 2.5 meters long (8 feet 2 inches) is thrown. Running within a set space helps the javelin thrower gain momentum.
Men throw javelin between 2.6 and 2.7 metres (8 ft 6 in and 8 ft 10 in) in length and 800 g (28 oz) in weight in international competition, while women throw between 2.2 and 2.3 metres (7 ft 3 in and 7 ft 7 in) in length and 600 g (21 oz) in weight.
Check out- Proud moment in Tokyo Olympics: Neeraj Chopra wins gold medal
It has a grip, about 150 mm (5.9 in) wide, made of cord and located at the javelin’s center of gravity (0.9 to 1.06 m (2 ft 11 in to 3 ft 6 in) from the javelin tip for the men’s javelin and 0.8 to 0.92 m (2 ft 7 in to 3 ft 0 in) from the javelin tip for the womens).
Technique:
The javelin must be held in the athlete’s hand and thrown overhand, over the shoulder or upper arm. Furthermore, the athlete is not allowed to turn completely around such that his back is towards the throw direction.
Center of Gravity and Pressure:
The two most important factors involving the physics of throwing a javelin are the center of gravity and center of pressure. The center of gravity is near the grip and does not change during throw. “Throwing through the tip,” means throwing through the grip or center of gravity. The center of pressure is the aerodynamic force of drag and lift on the javelin. The change in 1986 made javelins much easier to throw and much easier to measure because the center of pressure was moved back behind the center of gravity of the javelin.
Check Out- In picture: Neeraj Chopra, first Indian to win gold medal
Attack Angle:
Throwing the javelin at the best attack angle means throwing it at the angle where the air flows around it most efficiently. The javelin must be thrown at an attack angle to minimize drag and maximize lift and speed in order to achieve maximum distance. When throwing against a head wind, the attack angle is slightly lower, resulting in less lift than when throwing into a tail wind.
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