NATIONAL & INTERNATIONAL JAVELIN TRENDS MEN'S NEW JAVELIN 1986 - 1997 SUMMARY - Men's javelin throwing remains primarily a north European dominated discipline. Despite the success of Marius Corbett at last year's World Championships, javelin throwing is not set to go the same way as long distance running. Despite a proportionately high increase in the numbers of South African throwers making the world's top 100 in the last few years, there is no great phalanx of African throwers about to follow in Corbett's foot steps! Outside South Africa, the African continent's overall javelin depth has shown no improvement over the twelve years of the new javelin. Throughout the twelve years, Australasian and Asian (mainly Chinese) throwers have occasionally shown portents of future brilliance but these up until now have only been temporary blips on an otherwise European dominated scene. Interestingly, since the end of the Cold War, both the political super powers, USA and Russia have lost ground dramatically and the proportion of the world's top throwers coming from these former adversaries has declined significantly. Russia's decline has also been matched by the other former Soviet states. The Soviet decline has been matched by a significant increase in the proportion of the world's top throwers coming from the old javelin home land of Finland. The national Finnish passion for the javelin has continued to allow Finland to buck the demographic constraints on her. Since 1990 Finland's throwers have dramatically strengthened her representation in the world top 100. However, it's quality as well as quantity, as in each of the last three seasons Finland has had four 85m + throwers. The newly reunited Germany has begun to overcome the initial decline in her javelin strength which was set about by the collapse of the old East German system and in the last few seasons she too has had a high proportion of the world's 85 m + throwers. The fortunes of other strong javelin nations such as Sweden and Great Britain have remained very consistent. With a few exceptions, the same performers have represented both nations throughout most of the twelve year period. The question for the future will be whether there will be younger athletes capable of taking the place of the old guard like Boden and Hill when these retire in the next few years? However, this same question could also be levied at the Czech Republic. Beyond the exceptional throwing arm of Jan Zelezny there would seem to be no throwers of note ready to continue the republic's now noble tradition in the event. Chris Turner. 1998. 1 Top Farm House, Greenway, North Barsham, Nr. Walsingham. NR22 6AS. Fax - 44 1328 855264. Email - athletics@nurmi.clara.net. CATEGORIES - World Top 100 placings. World Top 50 placings. World Top 20 placings. 80m + thrower placings. 85m + thrower placings. All surveyed over the twelve year period of the new javelin - 1986 to 1997. NOTES - NB. to allow for a true twelve year analysis to be made, because of the immense geopolitical changes which have taken place since the end of the cold war, the newly independent states of the ex Soviet Union, Yugoslavia and Czechoslovakia and the now reunited Germany have been listed alongside the old political formations to which they once belonged. These old political units have artificially been listed as if they were still intact today. The combined figures of their former constituent members being used to determine their strength. Two Yugoslav states are listed. The communist Yugoslavian state which was in place prior to 1991 (YUG) and the rump Serbian state (YUG 92) which is in operation today. ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS - ATFS Year Books. Edited by Peter Matthews. Publishers - various. Finnish Year Books. Edited by Juhani & Mirko Jalava. Publishers - Tilastopaja Oy. CORRECTIONS - Any corrections to Chris Turner, address as previously listed.