| Medal record | ||
|---|---|---|
Jan Železný |
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| Men’s Athletics | ||
| Olympic Games | ||
| Competitor for Czech Republic | ||
| Gold | 2000 Sydney | Javelin |
| Gold | 1996 Atlanta | Javelin |
| Competitor for Czechoslovakia | ||
| Gold | 1992 Barcelona | Javelin |
| Silver | 1988 Seoul | Javelin |
| World Championships | ||
| Competitor for Czech Republic | ||
| Gold | 2001 Edmonton | Javelin |
| Gold | 1995 Gothenburg | Javelin |
| Gold | 1993 Stuttgart | Javelin |
| Bronze | 1999 Seville | Javelin |
| Competitor for Czechoslovakia | ||
| Bronze | 1987 Rome | Javelin |
| European Championships | ||
| Competitor for Czech Republic | ||
| Bronze | 2006 Gothenburg | Javelin |
| Bronze | 1994 Helsinki | Javelin |
Jan Železný (Czech pronunciation: [ˈjan ˈʒɛlɛzniː] ( listen)) (born 16 June 1966 in Mladá Boleslav, Czechoslovakia) is a Czech javelin thrower, world and Olympic champion and world record holder in javelin throw. He holds all five of the top 5 javelin performances of all time.[1]
Železný won the gold at the 1992, 1996 and 2000 Summer Olympic Games and Silver in the 1988 Olympics as well as three World Championship titles; in 1993, 1995 and 2001. Because of his achievements he is widely considered to be the greatest javelin thrower ever.
Železný holds the world record, at 98.48 metres (323 ft 1 in) set in 1996, and the World Championships record of 92.80 m, set in 2001. As of 1 August 2005[update], Železný has made 52 throws over 90 meters, more than all other javelin throwers combined (32).[2] He is also the only athlete to throw more than 94 meters with the new type of javelin, something he achieved five times.[1]
During his career he has had many great battles against the like of Steve Backley, Sergey Makarov, Boris Henry, Seppo Räty, Raymond Hecht and Aki Parviainen.
He planned to retire after the 2006 European Championships in Gothenburg, where he won the bronze with a throw of 85.92 m. He took leave of his career on 19 September 2006 on exhibition in Mladá Boleslav, the place where he started with athletics.
He will continue working for the IOC and as a coach in Prague.
| Awards and achievements | ||
|---|---|---|
| Preceded by Jonathan Edwards |
Men's European Athlete of the Year 1996 |
Succeeded by Wilson Kipketer |
| Preceded by Tomáš Dvořák |
Men's European Athlete of the Year 2000 |
Succeeded by André Bucher |
| Preceded by Michael Johnson |
IAAF World Athlete of the Year 2000 |
Succeeded by Hicham El Guerrouj |
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