The Women's Javelin Throw at the 2009 World Championships in Athletics was held at the Olympic Stadium on August 16 and August 18. The event featured four athletes whose ability was so much better than the opposition that Mirko Jalava of the IAAF said it would be a "major surprise" should another athlete beat them to the podium.

The Olympic champion and world record holder Barbora Špotáková, and Beijing silver medallist Mariya Abakumova, had not matched their Olympic form of the previous year but remained strong contenders for the competition. The other two athletes came from the German team, which was headed by world-leader and two-time World medallist Christina Obergföll, as well as the veteran Steffi Nerius who won silver in 2003, 2005 and 2007. Osleidys Menéndez, Sunette Viljoen and Madara Palameika were the outside contenders.Jalava, Mirko (2009-08-09). Women's Javelin Throw - PREVIEW . IAAF. Retrieved on 2009-08-17.

A modest qualifying round was highlighted by Abakumova's world-leading throw of 68.92 m, while German number three Linda Stahl and Slovenian Martina Ratej threw season's bests to qualify as the second and third best throwers. The first round saw the elimination of two of the season's top-six athletes, Palameika and Viljoen.Jalava, Mirko (2009-08-16). Event Report - Women's Javelin Throw - Qualification . IAAF. Retrieved on 2009-08-17. On the final day, Nerius opened the competition in style with a season's best 67.30 m on her first throw, while Špotáková and Monica Stoian completed the top three with 64.94 and 64.51 m respectively. With a throw of 65.39 m Mariya Abakumova moved into the bronze medal position, and she would remain there for the rest of the event. Obergföll and Stahl moved into the top six in round three, but the positions remained static thereafter. Neither Špotáková nor Abakumova (whose qualifying throw would have won the final) could find the form to dislodge Nerius from the gold medal spot. The 37-year-old German won her first ever World Championship gold medal in Berlin, in what was her final year in competitive athletics.Jalava, Mirko (2009-08-18). Event Report - Women's Javelin Throw - Final . IAAF. Retrieved on 2009-08-17.

Medalists Gold Steffi NeriusGermany (GER)Silver Barbora ŠpotákováCzech Republic (CZE)Bronze Monica StoianRomania (ROM)

Schedule All times are Central European Time (UTC+1) Qualification RoundGroup AGroup B16.08.2009 – 10:45h16.08.2009 – 10:45hFinal Round18.08.2009 – 19:25h

Qualification standards A standardB standard 61.00 metres 59.00 metres

Records Standing records prior to the 2009 World Athletics ChampionshipsWorld record72.28 m13 September 2008Stuttgart, GermanyEvent record71.70 m14 August 2005Helsinki, FinlandSeason Best68.59 m20 June 2009Leiria, PortugalAfrican record65.43 m7 July 2009Belgrade, SerbiaAsian record63.92 m18 August 2000Beijing, PR ChinaNorth American record71.70 m14 August 2005Helsinki, FinlandSouth American record62.62 m12 May 2002Guatemala City, GuatemalaEuropean record72.28 m13 September 2008Stuttgart, GermanyOceanian record66.80 m5 August 2000Runaway Bay, Australia

Results

Qualification Qualification: Qualifying distance 62.00 (Q) or the least 12 best athletes and ties (q) advance to the final.

Rank Group Athlete Nationality #1 #2 #3 Result Notes 1 A Linda Stahl 63.86 63.86 Q, SB 2 A Martina Ratej 53.13 63.42 63.42 Q, SB 3 A Barbora Špotáková 63.27 63.27 Q 4 B Osleidys Menéndez 59.86 61.94 61.94 q 5 A Steffi Nerius 61.00 61.73 61.73 q 6 B Christina Obergföll 60.04 59.86 60.74 60.74 q 7 A Monica Stoian 59.45 60.29 55.57 60.29 q 8 A Vira Rebryk 59.68 59.70 58.27 59.70 q 9 A Savva Lika 57.26 59.64 59.64 q 10 B Rachel Yurkovich 59.57 53.84 59.55 59.57 q 11 B Maria Nicoleta Negoita 59.46 56.32 59.46 q 12 A Goldie Sayers 56.44 58.58 58.98 58.98 13 B Mikaela Ingberg 53.86 57.88 57.88 14 B Kimberley Mickle 57.46 56.85 57.46 15 A Yainelis Ribeaux 57.26 57.38 56.48 57.38 16 B Olha Ivankova 56.91 54.86 54.85 56.91 17 B Sunette Viljoen 56.83 49.45 56.83 18 A Mercedes Chilla 56.68 56.68 19 B Urszula Piwnicka 56.33 56.49 55.74 56.49 20 A Maryna Novik 51.56 56.44 55.01 56.44 21 B Yanet Cruz 55.50 56.19 56.19 22 B Ásdís Hjálmsdóttir 55.86 55.27 55.86 23 A Indrė Jakubaitytė 55.86 55.86 24 B Yuki Ebihara 49.14 53.30 54.81 54.81 25 B Moonika Aava 49.49 52.69 53.86 53.86 26 B Madara Palameika 51.80 52.98 52.98 27 B Valeriya Zabruskova 47.31 52.87 51.13 52.87 28 A Kara Patterson 50.60 52.71 52.71 29 A Elisabeth Pauer 49.32 50.88 50.88 30 A Serafina Akeli 49.58 49.58 DSQ A Mariya Abakumova 68.92 68.92 Q, WL

Key: Q = qualification by place in heat, q = qualification by overall place, SB = Seasonal best, WL = World leading (in a given season)

Final

Rank Athlete Nationality #1 #2 #3 #4 #5 #6 Result Notes Steffi Nerius 67.30 62.79 65.81 62.27 67.30 SB Barbora Špotáková 64.94 64.26 66.42 61.29 62.25 59.74 66.42 Monica Stoian 64.51 61.90 59.62 61.84 61.53 64.51 PB Christina Obergföll 60.37 64.34 63.02 64.34 Linda Stahl 61.64 63.23 63.18 59.00 61.33 60.90 63.23 Osleidys Menéndez 63.11 61.56 58.27 63.11 SB Savva Lika 56.55 57.33 58.80 57.29 60.29 60.29 Vira Rebryk 58.25 56.78 57.50 58.25 Maria Nicoleta Negoita 57.59 57.65 57.65 Martina Ratej 57.57 57.57 Rachel Yurkovich 51.15 50.05 51.15 Mariya Abakumova 63.01 65.39 59.71 66.06 66.06

Key: PB = Personal best, SB = Seasonal best

References General Javelin throw results (Archived 2009-09-08). IAAF. Retrieved on 2009-08-16. Specific