Men's hammer throw world record progression

The following table shows progression of the world record in the men's hammer throw, as recognised by the International Association of Athletics Federations (IAAF). The first world record in the event was recognised by the IAAF in 1913. As of June 21, 2009, 45 world records have been ratified by the IAAF in the event.

World record progression

Distance	Athlete	Nationality	Venue	Date
57.77 m	Pat Ryan	United States	New York City, USA	August 17, 1913
59.00 m	Erwin Blask	Germany	Stockholm, Sweden	August 27, 1938
59.02 m	Imre Nemeth	Hungary	Tata, Hungary	July 14, 1948
59.57 m	Imre Nemeth	Hungary	Katowice, Poland	September 4, 1949
59.88 m	Imre Nemeth	Hungary	Budapest, Hungary	May 19, 1950
60.34 m	József Csermák	Hungary	Helsinki, Finland	July 24, 1952
61.25 m	Sverre Strandli	Norway	Oslo, Norway	September 14, 1952
62.36 m	Sverre Strandli	Norway	Oslo, Norway	September 5, 1953
63.34 m	Mikhail Krivonosov	Soviet Union	Berne, Switzerland	August 29, 1954
64.05 m	Stanislav Nenashev	Soviet Union	Baku, Soviet Union	December 12, 1954
64.33 m	Mikhail Krivonosov	Soviet Union	Warsaw, Poland	August 4, 1955
64.52 m	Mikhail Krivonosov	Soviet Union	Belgrade, SFR Yugoslavia	September 19, 1955
65.85 m	Mikhail Krivonosov	Soviet Union	Nalchik, Soviet Union	April 25, 1956
66.38 m	Mikhail Krivonosov	Soviet Union	Minsk, Soviet Union	July 8, 1956
67.32 m	Mikhail Krivonosov	Soviet Union	Tashkent, Soviet Union	October 22, 1956
68.54 m	Hal Connolly	United States	Los Angeles, USA	November 2, 1956
68.68 m	Hal Connolly	United States	Bakersfield, USA	June 20, 1958
70.33 m	Hal Connolly	United States	Walnut, USA	August 12, 1960
70.67 m	Hal Connolly	United States	Palo Alto, USA	July 21, 1962
71.06 m	Hal Connolly	United States	Ceres, USA	May 29, 1965
71.26 m	Hal Connolly	United States	Walnut, USA	June 20, 1965
73.74 m	Gyula Zsivotzky	Hungary	Debrecen, Hungary	September 4, 1965
73.76 m	Gyula Zsivotzky	Hungary	Budapest, Hungary	September 14, 1968
74.52 m	Romuald Klim	Soviet Union	Budapest, Hungary	June 15, 1969
74.68 m	Anatoliy Bondarchuk	Soviet Union	Piraeus, Greece	September 20, 1969
75.48 m	Anatoliy Bondarchuk	Soviet Union	Rovno, Soviet Union	October 12, 1969
76.40 m	Walter Schmidt	West Germany	Lahr, West Germany	September 4, 1971
76.60 m	Reinhard Theimer	East Germany	Erfurt, East Germany	July 4, 1974
76.66 m	Aleksei Spiridonov	Soviet Union	Munich, West Germany	September 11, 1974
76.70 m	Karl-Hans Riehm	West Germany	Rehlingen, Germany	May 19, 1975
77.56 m	Karl-Hans Riehm	West Germany	Rehlingen, West Germany	May 19, 1975
78.50 m	Karl-Hans Riehm	West Germany	Rehlingen, West Germany	May 19, 1975
79.30 m	Walter Schmidt	West Germany	Frankfurt, West Germany	August 14, 1975
80.14 m	Boris Zaichuk	Soviet Union	Moscow, Soviet Union	July 9, 1978
80.32 m	Karl-Hans Riehm	West Germany	Heidenheim, West Germany	August 6, 1978
80.38 m	Yuriy Sedykh	Soviet Union	Leselidse, Soviet Union	May 16, 1980
80.46 m	Jüri Tamm	Soviet Union	Leselidse, Soviet Union	May 16, 1980
80.64 m	Yuriy Sedykh	Soviet Union	Leselidse, Soviet Union	May 16, 1980
81.66 m	Sergey Litvinov	Soviet Union	Sochi, Soviet Union	May 24, 1980
81.80 m	Yuriy Sedykh	Soviet Union	Moscow, Soviet Union	July 31, 1980
83.98 m	Sergey Litvinov	Soviet Union	Moscow, Soviet Union	June 4, 1982
84.14 m	Sergey Litvinov	Soviet Union	Moscow, Soviet Union	June 21, 1983
86.34 m	Yuriy Sedykh	Soviet Union	Cork, Ireland	July 3, 1984
86.66 m	Yuriy Sedykh	Soviet Union	Tallinn, Soviet Union	June 22, 1986
86.74 m	Yuriy Sedykh	Soviet Union	Stuttgart, West Germany	August 30, 1986

Unratified marks

Distance	Athlete	Nationality	Venue	Date	Why unratified
59.55 m	Pat O'Callaghan	Ireland	Fermoy, Ireland	1937	Meeting organised by the NACA, which was suspended by IAAF.

Notes

Many sources do not give the date of Theimer's world record. It occurred in the qualifying round of the East German Championships at Erfurt (not Leipzig), which ran from the July 3–6, 1974. His record came with his very first throw, his series being (76.60m 73.62m 73.28m) which was on day two of the championships, July 4, 1974. Next day, in the championship itself, he threw 73.62m (241 ft. 6") for first place.