Photo: Chell Hill—CC BY-SA 4.0
Jan Železný
- Born
- Jun 16, 1966 (60 years old)
- Birthplace
- Mladá Boleslav, Czech Republic
- Events
- Javelin Throw
- Height
- 1.85 m
- Weight
- 86 kg
Jan Zelezny is a Czech former javelin thrower, widely considered the greatest in the history of the event. Born in Mlada Boleslav, Czechoslovakia, he dominated the javelin for over a decade, combining extraordinary technique with remarkable consistency to redefine what was possible in the discipline.
Zelezny holds the world record with a throw of 98.48 metres, set in 1996, and also owns the fourth, fifth, and sixth best performances of all time. He broke the world record a total of four times during his career. A three-time Olympic gold medallist, he won consecutive titles at Barcelona 1992, Atlanta 1996, and Sydney 2000, in addition to a silver medal at Seoul 1988. He also claimed three World Championship gold medals, cementing his status at the pinnacle of the sport.
Zelezny's legacy is unmatched in javelin throwing. His world record of 98.48 metres has stood since 1996 and remains one of the longest-standing records in athletics. His combination of longevity, peak performance, and dominance across both Olympic and World Championship stages makes him one of the most successful field event athletes in the history of track and field.
As of Oct 28, 2026: Javelin Throw 98.48 (#1 all-time), 2006 season best 86.07 (May 12, 2006, Doha (QAT)) · Olympic Games: 3 gold, 1 silver · World Championships: 3 gold, 2 bronze · World record (Javelin Throw) · 60 years old
Personal bests
WA points calculator →Medals
| Competitions | Gold | Silver | Bronze | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Olympic Games | 3 | 1 | – | 4 |
| World Championships | 3 | – | 2 | 5 |
| Total | 6 | 1 | 2 | 9 |
Progression
| Season | Discipline | Result | Wind | Date | Competitions |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006 | JT | 86.07 | – | May 12, 2006 | Doha (QAT) |
| 2005 | JT | 83.98 | – | Sep 10, 2005 | Monaco IAAF World Athletics Final, Stade Louis II, Monaco |
| 2004 | JT | 86.12 | – | Jun 8, 2004 | Ostrava (CZE) |
| 2003 | JT | 89.06 | – | Jul 4, 2003 | Paris-St-Denis Meeting Gaz de France |
| 2002 | JT | 87.77 | – | Jun 30, 2002 | Sheffield (GBR) |
| 2001 | JT | 92.80 | – | Aug 12, 2001 | IAAF World Championships, Commonwealth Stadium, Edmonton |
| 2000 | JT | 90.59 | – | Mar 24, 2000 | Pretoria (RSA) |
| 1999 | JT | 89.06 | – | Jul 21, 1999 | Paris-St-Denis Meeting Gaz de France |