As for recorded history, the discus, shot put and javelin throw are among the oldest sports, all of which were part of ancient Greek Olympic contests. The shot put and discus were part of the first modern Olympics in 1896, while the javelin didn’t enter Olympic competition until 1908.
The hammer throw derived from the Scottish sport in which competitors tossed an actual sledgehammer. The modern sport, in which a 16-pound ball is used, entered Olympic competition in 1900.
With the inclusion of women into the Olympics in 1928 came one throwing sport, the discus. Women’s javelin followed in 1932, the shot put in 1948 and the hammer throw in 2000.
