Chinese javelin thrower Yan Ziyi recorded a throw of 71.74 meters [1] on Saturday during the Xiamen Diamond League meet.
The performance marks a significant shift in women's athletics, as the 18-year-old established a new Diamond League record and a world U-20 record [1, 3]. By surpassing the 70-meter mark, Yan joins an elite group of only six athletes to ever achieve such a distance [4].
Yan's throw is now the second-longest women's javelin throw ever recorded [2]. She trails only the world record of 72.28 meters set by Barbora Špotáková in 2008 [4]. This result places her among the four athletes in history to throw beyond 71 meters [4].
The event served as Yan's season debut. Her performance in Xiamen underscores a rapid ascent in the sport, moving her from a promising youth prospect to a world-leading competitor in a single outing [1, 4].
Diamond League officials said the distance was confirmed during the competition in Xiamen, China [3]. The throw represents the highest level of performance seen in the series to date, signaling a potential new era for the event as Yan enters the senior international circuit [1, 3].
“Yan Ziyi recorded a throw of 71.74 meters”
Yan Ziyi's performance disrupts the established hierarchy of women's javelin. By recording the second-best throw in history at just 18 years old, she has bridged the gap between youth athletics and elite senior competition. Her proximity to Barbora Špotáková's 2008 world record suggests that the current ceiling for the event may be challenged sooner than expected.
