Barbora Spotakova tops list of most successful female javelin throwers in Summer Olympics

The javelin throw is one of the track and field events in the multi-disciplined athletics program at the Summer Olympics.

In 1932, women's javelin throw became a part of the mega-quadrennial event, 24 years after men's javelin throw was introduced.

With the Tokyo Olympics fast approaching, let's have a look at the most successful female javelin throwers at the Summer Olympics.

(Note: Ranking is based on the gold medal count. If athletes have the same number of gold medals, the number of silver medals followed by bronze medals has been used as the deciding factors for the rankings)

(* - Total Medals won here refers to medals won by the respective athlete only in the javelin throw event)

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#5 -Tilly Fleischer (Germany)

Total Medals Won*: 2 (G-1, S-0, B-1)

1932: Bronze, 1936: Gold

Tilly Fleischer is one of 3 female javelin throwers tied at No. 5 on the list, with each of them having 1 gold and 1 bronze to their credit.

Fleischer won the bronze medal at the 1932 Summer Olympics with a throw of 43.00 metres.

The German athlete improved on her performance to take the gold at the next Olympic Games with a throw of 45.18m.

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#5 - Trine Hattestad (Norway)

Total Medals Won: 2 (G-1, S-0, B-1)

1996: Bronze, 2000: Gold

Trine Hattestad at the Sydney 2000 Olympic Games

Trine Hattestad won the bronze medal at the 1996 Summer Olympics with a throw of 64.98m.

The Norwegian then went on to win the gold medal at the Sydney Olympics with a throw of 68.91m.

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#5 - Osleidys Menendez (Cuba)

Total Medals Won: 2 (G-1, S-0, B-1)

2000: Bronze, 2004: Gold

Osleidys Menendez

Osleidys Menendez won the bronze medal at the 2000 Summer Olympics with a throw of 66.18m.

At the 2004 Olympic Games, the Cuban stood on the top podium with an effort of 71.53m.

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#3 - Dana Ingrova-Zatopkova (Czechoslovakia)

Total Medals Won: 2 (G-1, S-1, B-0)

1952: Gold, 1960: Silver

Dana Zatopkova is one of 2 javelin throwers tied at No. 3 on this list, with both having won 1 gold and 1 silver medal.

Zatopkova won the javelin gold at the 1952 Summer Olympics with a throw of 50.47m.

At the 1960 Games, the Czech picked up the silver medal with an effort of 53.78m.

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#3 - Mihaela Penes (Romania)

Total Medals Won: 2 (G-1, S-1, B-0)

1964: Gold, 1968: Silver

Mihaela Penes won the gold medal at the 1964 Summer Olympics with a throw of 60.54 m.

The Romanian stood second on the podium at the next Olympic Games with a throw of 59.92m.

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#2 - Ruth Fuchs (German Democratic Republic)

Total Medals Won: 2 (G-2, S-0, B-0)

1972: Gold, 1976: Gold

Double Olympic javelin gold medallist Ruth Fuchs of the German Democratic Republic

Ruth Fuchs won the gold medal at the 1972 Summer Olympics with a throw of 63.88m.

At the Montreal Olympics in 1976, Fuchs hurled the javelin to a distance of 65.94m to pick up her second gold medal.

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#1 - Barbora Spotakova (Czech Republic)

Total Medals Won: 3 (G-2, S-0, B-1)

2008: Gold, 2012: Gold, 2016: Bronze

: Gold medalist Barbora Spotakova at the London 2012 Olympic Games

Barbora Spotakova won her first medal - a gold - at the 2008 Summer Olympics with a throw of 71.42m.

The Czech then pocketed her second consecutive gold at the 2012 London Games with an effort of 69.55m.

At the most recent Olympics in Rio, Spotakova bagged the bronze to become the only female javelin thrower to win 3 medals. She did that with a throw of 64.80m.

Spotakova also holds the world outdoor record for women's javelin throw. Her effort of 72.28m, set in 2008, remains unbeaten to this date.

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(With inputs from the Official Olympic website)