Fourth Grade
Worksheets
Throwing Sports - Javelin, Discus, Hammer, and Shot Put
It seems as though everyone likes to throw something! Many sports involve throwing something. Javelin throwing, discus throwing, hammer throwing, and the shot put are just a few of the throwing sports that are part of the Olympics today.
Javelin throwing goes back to the spear throwing of prehistoric times. Archaeologists found 400,000-year-old spears in Germany. Javelins were used by Zulu warriors in Africa as weapons. The javelin has also been used extensively for hunting in many cultures. The javelin was used as a weapon in ancient Greece and Rome. Roman soldiers used a heavy javelin that was made of iron. The ancient Greeks had javelin throwing at their Olympic games, and the tradition continues today. The javelin has been an Olympic sport since 1908.
A modern javelin is made out of fiberglass or aluminum. It often has a steel tip. The competitors take turns trying to throw the farthest distance, which is measured in centimeters. The thrower runs down a track before throwing his javelin. The javelin in flight can reach speeds of up to 70 mph.
