Tom Petranoff

Who is Tom Petranoff?

Thomas Alan Petranoff is a former world record holder in the javelin throw; his May 1983 effort was greater than the length of an entire American football field at 99.72 meters. Tom Petranoff's world record added precisely three meters to the previous global standard of 96.72, set in 1980 by Hungary's Ferenc Paragi. Petranoff's prodigious effort fueled further discussion and speculation regarding the likelihood of alterations to the javelin's design and flight characteristics. Propelled by the need to shorten distances and the then frequent flat or ambiguous landings, a change to a new design finally took effect in April 1986. By then, East German Uwe Hohn had shattered Petranoff's mark with an incredible throw of 104.80 meters. However, this only came after the changes had been officially proposed and had nothing to do with the change.

Petranoff's mark with the old javelin design was never exceeded by any throw other than Hohn's monster mark.