Terje Pedersen

World Records: 87.12m (285' 10") Oslo, Norway 1 Jul 1964

91.72m (300' 11") Oslo, Norway 2 Sep 1964

Terje Pedersen was a dental student who, at 17, had been the youngest competitor in the javelin at the 1960 Rome Olympics, although he did not compete in the final. In 1964, at age 21, he achieved great heights and depths in one season. In July a meet took place in Oslo between Norway and the Benelux countries. On his fifth throw Pedersen bettered the world record by 38 centimeters to 87.12 meters. The spectators were especially jubilant, as Pedersen was a local Oslo boy.

Two month later he did it again in a match between Norway and Czechoslovakia. Very few present actually saw the record, as they were watching an exciting final to the 800m. When the result went up on the board, the first figure was a 9, which resulted in a deafening wave of cheering. He had broken the 90-meter barrier (and the 300' mark) with 91.72 meters (300' 11").

In that throw he had strained his back slightly and did not take any more throws. He joked at the situation, saying that he would achieve the first 100-meter throw another time. Yet seven weeks later, he had nothing to laugh about. After three meager throws in the qualifying rounds at the Tokyo Olympics, he did not qualify for the final.

source: World Record Breakers in Track & Field Athletics