deliberate fault in the javelin... why?

[master]

OK. I have no knowledge of strategy in the javelin event. As far as I know you throw it as far as you can without stepping over the foul line. Of course you want the point to stick in the ground, or at least break the surface.

So why did some of the competitors at Osaka deliberately step across the foul line after they threw the javelin and they saw it wasn't one of their better throws?

- master

[rainbowgirl28]

OK. I have no knowledge of strategy in the javelin event. As far as I know you throw it as far as you can without stepping over the foul line. Of course you want the point to stick in the ground, or at least break the surface.

So why did some of the competitors at Osaka deliberately step across the foul line after they threw the javelin and they saw it wasn't one of their better throws?

- master

Save everyone's time. If it's clearly a worse mark, it speeds up the competition if you purposefully foul.

[drcurran]

Becca is right. When an athlete know it to be a poor effort they foul on purpose (shot, discus, jav, hammer too I guess). But. . . . . you will see some coaches go ballistic because the athlete's second best might be needed to break a tie. Does not happen too often, but when it does. . . .

Dan