Technology now plays a vital part in every top athlete’s bid for victory…

February 1st, 2007 | Athletics, Biomechanics Consultancy, Quintic Video Software

To make things that work as efficiently as possible is one of engineering’s goals. But javelins are designed to under perform for one very good reason – safety. By the 1980’s competition standards had risen to such a degree that athletes routinely recorded throws of more than 90m, culminating in a 104.8m throw by Uwe Hohn of the former East Germany at a meet in Berlin in 1984.

International Association of Athletics Federation (IAAF) officials recognised that one day a javelin would be thrown the length of the field and land among spectators, with potentially lethal result. The solution, introduced in 1986, was elegant in its simplicity: the centre of balance of all javelins was moved forward 4cm.

As a result they now fly in a more pronounced arc, travel 20m or so less and land point first more often. Top athletes use javelins with a narrower point for headwinds and a wider one for tailwinds, yet the range of their throws is more consistent. Competitors, however, can only use IAAF-approved javelins: smooth-surfaced, hollow, made of either aluminium or carbon-fibre and weighing no more than 800g.

Vibration is the big enemy of the javelineer. “When a javelin is thrown you can see how it vibrates in the air” says Claire Davis, senior lecturer at the University of Birmingham’s school of metallurgy and material science, “so the question is how to damp them”.

“New materials are coming in that would change characteristics in flight,” explains Davies. “These smart materials, called piezo-electric ceramics, have active dampening. They can respond to external stimuli, so applying a stress such as vibration will generate an electric impulse within their structure that stiffens the material, causing it to vibrate less.” Andre Aggasi already has tennis racquets made of this material, and it is also used in competition skis.

However, even if technology isn’t allowed to improve the javelin, it can improve technique. Steve Backley, javelin silver medallist at the 2000 Olympics in Sydney, and who is aiming for Games gold this year, uses biomechanical analysis software developed by Quintic Consultancy Ltd, a Coventry-based company set up by sports scientist Dr Paul Hurrion. The software compares high speed digital video images of athletes in action.

“By synchronising current and best throws at the moment of release, we can analyse the difference,” says Backley. For him, the software tool proved invaluable in his preparation for the Athens Games…

“Being able to synchronise different throws, current and best, proved invaluable in preparation for the games in Sydney 2000 & Athens 2004. I can compare the timing of current training throws with my best 90m efforts from previous years. By synchronising current and best throws at release we could rewind in slow motion and analyse the differences.”

Steve Backley OBE

4 time European Gold
3 time Commonwealth Gold
2 time World Silver
2 time Olympic Silver

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