Hammer

A hammer used in hammer throw is equipment with a steel wire adjoined to a metal ball at one end and a handle at another. It is nothing like the tool with a similar name. The size of the metal ball varies as per men's and women's competitions. 

History of Hammer 

The traces of hammer were first found in 2000 BC. The Tailteann Games held in Tara, Ireland, among the Celtic warriors give us a glimpse of the chariot’s wheel held by its axle used before the hammer came into existence. The wheel was replaced by wooden attached to a boulder. In England and Scotland, sledgehammers were used during the middle ages.

As per popular lore, King Edward-I prohibited weaponry in the late 13th or 14th century, which spiked the use of the hammer. In a 16th century drawing, English king Henry VIII is seen throwing a blacksmith’s hammer.

Standard Hammer as per IAAF 

• IAAF has specified that a hammer has three parts, namely a metalhead, a handle, and a wire. 
• The metalhead should be of solid iron, brass or any other metal but not softer than brass. The centre of gravity should be 6mm and 12mm in diameter (not more). 
• The wire should be single unbroken spring steel of 3mm (not less) and should not extensively stretch while the hammer is thrown. The wire can have loops or plain or ball bearing for attachment. 
• Handel’s deformation should be under a tension load of 3.8kn not exceeding 3mm.

Weight of the hammer