Oslo, Norway - With temperatures of 30 degrees Celsius (86 degrees Fahrenheit) in Oslo today and the forecast that it will become even hotter by the end of the week it is clear that the ExxonMobil Bislett Games in Oslo, Norway, on Friday 3 July, is going to be provide the weather conditions to match a sizzling evening’s entertainment on the track and infield at the Bislett stadium.

The Oslo meeting is the second leg of the six meeting ÅF Golden League 2009, and following in a long tradition we are certain to witness another red hot men’s Javelin Throw contest.

The Bislett venue has seen some magnificent javelin performances over the years with a total of three World records for the men, two to Terje Pedersen of Norway and one to the Czech legend Jan Zelezny, and one World mark to the women by another Norwegian, Trine Hattestad.

The countries of the Baltic region have long been a ‘home from home’ for the discipline, and Norway has had its fair share of success in the event from names like Egil Danielsen, the Olympic champion and World record breaker of 1956, Terje Pedersen, who followed Danielsen’s World record example with two of his own in 1964, Willy Rasmussen, fifth at the 1960 Olympics, Per Olsen, fifth at 1983 World Championships, Arne Fagernes, fourth in the 1999 World Championships, and Trine Hattestad, women’s multiple World record breaker, World (1993 and 1997) and 2000 Olympic champion.

The current Norse god of the throws is 2004 and 2008 Olympic champion Andreas Thorkildsen, the sixth furthest spearman of all-time (91.59m - 2006). On Friday the 27-year-old will once again takes on his greatest rival Finland’s 2007 World champion Tero Pitkämäki, 26, who incidentally stands one place beneath him on the all-time list with 91.53m (2005).

The pair have met 43 times since 2001, with the Finn holding a 24-19 edge. This season its currently two – one in favour of Pitkämäki, who having won in Berlin on 14 June is one of ÅF Golden League $1 Million Jackpot contenders.

In Bislett terms the duel is currently tied with two victories each. Thorkildsen was the winner in 2008 and 2006, with Pitkämäki getting the better in 2007 and 2005.

Throw into this spicy recipe two more Finns Tero Jarvenpaa, 4th in Beijing and Teemu Wirkkala, 5th in Beijing, and two Latvians 2008 World Athletics Final winner Vadims Vasilevskis, who is the current world season leader with 90.71m, and Ainars Kovals, the Olympic silver medallist who split Thorkildsen and Pitkämäki on the podium last summer in Beijing, and you have an event to savour.

Among the others creating interest will be the new US champion, Chris Hill who established a new best when he won their trials at Eugene with a distance of 83.87m.

Chris Turner for the IAAF