an athletic competition in which a javelin is thrown as far as possible
<noun.event>
a spear thrown as a weapon or in competitive field events
<noun.artifact>
Javelin \Jave"lin\, n. [F. javeline; akin to Sp. jabalina, It. giavelina, and F. javelot, OF. gavlot. Cf. {Gavelock}.] 1. A sort of light spear, to be thrown or cast by the hand; anciently, a weapon of war used by horsemen and foot soldiers; now used chiefly in hunting the wild boar and other fierce game.
Flies the javelin swifter to its mark, Launched by the vigor of a Roman arm? --Addison.
2. (Sport) A wooden shaft resembling a spear, thrown by contestants in a contest called the javelin throw; the one throwing the javelin furthest wins the contest. The javelin throw is one of the field events of the modern Olympic Games. [PJC]
Javelin \Jave"lin\, v. t. To pierce with a javelin. [R.] --Tennyson.
Prior to that, he was a student at Oklahoma State University where he was a javelin thrower for the school track team.
One memorable episode opened with the words, 'Inspector Carvalho left the Serbian javelin thrower in her delirium, singing the Internationale, and wended his way back from the hospital to the building of the International Olympic Committee.'
For the past eight weeks, Ralston has been attempting to mold a group of Soviet rugby players, shot-putters, javelin throwers and decathletes into a professional football team.
Starting quarterback Yuri Boldin, who hurled the javelin for years before he touched a pigskin, said the Bears hoped only to show they understand the game.
It's a time factor." Although some age-group seniors were top athletes in their prime _ like Rose Auerbach, national AAU javelin champ in 1937 and 1938 _ many more found the joy of competition much later in life.
Fatima Whitbread, the former javelin world champion and world record holder, said: 'I don't know where they are going to get the money from.