One very popular event in the track and field competition is hammer throwing. This type of sport was developed several centuries ago in England, Ireland and Scotland. The hammer throwing event can be traced back to a time when the Tailteann games were taking place in Tara, Ireland in the year 2000 D. C., and with it came a tale of a Celtic hero, named Cuhulanin. This hero was known to have grabbed hold of the axle of a wheel from a chariot and then was able to throw it to a distance farther than any mortal could ever throw it. The legend became a bit of folk lore and it also is known as being part of the hammer throw history.
As time pasted the event was later to become quite popular into the middle ages. During the eighteenth century this sport was then a big part of track and field competition in the country of England, Scotland and Ireland. Hammers were designed of forged iron back then the weight was never an issue in this event. The length of its handles were 3 to 4 feet.
This event was done by an athlete taking and swinging the object above the head and throwing it as far as could be with the athlete standing in one spot. The distance thrown was then measured fro the line where the athlete stood that was marked down on the field. The longest distance hammer throw recorded then was one hundred and thirty to one hundred and forty feet.
The English would later standardized this throwing event in 1875 by establishing this object to weigh 16 pounds. The length went to 3 feet and 6 inches. The hammer was also thrown from a circle the athlete would stand inside of before throwing the object.
By 1895 a new way of hammer throwing was established. It was thrown through a three jumping technique. The wooden handle later was replaced with a steel wire which was fastened to a pair of grips.
This sporting event in 1900 was included into the Olympic games, which today is a very big part of track and field. One other thing that changed was the sector as it is now 34.92 degrees.