 The men 's hammer throw became an Olympic event in 1900 but the women 's event – using a 4 kg ( 8 @.@ 82 lb ) weight – was not widely competed until much later , finally featuring on the women 's Olympic programme in 2000 . The distances thrown by male athletes became greater from the 1950s onwards as a result of improved equipment using the denser metals , a switch to concrete throwing areas , and more advanced training techniques . Professional hammer throwers as historically large , strong , sturdy athletes . However , qualities such as refined technique , speed and flexibility have become increasingly important in the modern era as the legal throwing area has been reduced from 90 to 34 @.@ 92 degrees and throwing technique involves three to four controlled rotations . 
 The men <a href='null_genetive' title='1'><mark>'s</mark></a>hammer throw became an Olympic event in 1900 but the women <a href='null_genetive' title='2'><mark>'s</mark></a>event – using a 4 kg ( 8 @.@ 82 lb ) weight – was not widely competed until much later , finally featuring on the women <a href='null_genetive' title='3'><mark>'s</mark></a>Olympic programme in 2000 . The distances thrown by male athletes became greater from the 1950s onwards as a result of improved equipment using the denser metals , a switch to concrete throwing areas , and more advanced training techniques . Professional hammer throwers as historically large , strong , sturdy athletes . However , qualities such as refined technique , speed and flexibility <a href='been_done' title='4'><mark>have</mark></a> become increasingly important in the modern era as the legal throwing area <a href='been_done' title='5'><mark>has</mark></a> been reduced from 90 to 34 @.@ 92 degrees and throwing technique <a href='uninflect' title='6'><mark>involves</mark></a> three to four controlled rotations . 
The men  hammer throw became an Olympic event in 1900 but the women  event – usin a 4 kg ( 8 @.@ 82 lb ) weight – was not widely competed until much later , finally featuring on da women  Olympic programme in 2000 . Tdadistances thrown by male athletes became greater from the 1950s onwards as a result of improved equipment using thdaenser metals , a switch to concrete throwin areas , and more advanced training techniques . Professional hammer throwers as historically large , strong , sturdy athletes . However , qualities such as refined technique , speed and flexibility done become increasingly important in the modern era as the legal throwing area done been reduced from 90 to 34 @.@ 92 degrees and throwing technique involve three to four controlled rotations .