A simple but reasonably accurate formula is derived for computing the distance travelled in a hammer throw. Computing the flight of a javelin is a complex process requiring the use of sophisticated aerodynamic models. The javelin is strongly affected by wind, angle of attack, delivery angle, athlete biomechanics, javelin vibration, javelin type, and a number of other factors. The discus is similarly sensitive to aerodynamical influences and predicting its flight is also a complex process. In contrast, the hammer is very much less affected and is close to the standard ballistic solution for a thrown weight in a vacuum. The only parameters necessary for a fairly accurate prediction of the distance travelled are the delivery angle relative to the ground (alpha), delivery speed (V) and the height above ground (h) when the hammer is released. To compute this, we calculate the total time the hammer is in the air using the vertical equations of motion and then use this total time in the horizontal equation of motion to get the distance.
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