Landmarks
First official world record: 62.32 Eric Lemming SWE 1912
First over 70m: 71.01 Erik Lundqvist SWE 1928
First over 80m: 80.41 Bud Held USA 1953
First over 90m: 91.72 Terje Pedersen NOR 1964
First over 100m: 104.80 Uwe Hohn GDR 1984

With current specification javelin:
First over 90m: 91.46 Steve Backley GBR 1992

Click here for current World record

Click here for ALL-TIME lists

Most durable world record: 78.70 Yrjö Nikkanen FIN 1938 (14 years)
Most competitions over 90m (current specification): Ján Zelezny 34 (as at 16 Oct 2002)
 
 
Superlatives
Most Olympic titles: 3 Eric Lemming 1906/1908/1912
3 Ján Zelezny 1992/1996/2000
Most World titles: 3 Ján Zelezny 1993/1995/2001
Youngest Olympic/World champion: Erik Lundqvist 1928 (20) Oldest: Ján Zelezny CZE 2000 (35) 
 
Three all time greats
Matti Järvinen (FIN): Son of the 1906 Olympic Greek-style discus champion, he raised the world record from 71.01 to 77.23m during the thirties and struck Olympic gold in1932.
Janis Lusis (URS): The Latvian won four European titles between 1962 and 1971, gained a complete set of Olympic medals (gold in 1968) and set two world records.
Ján Zelezny (CZE): The current world record holder, also a multiple Olympic and world title winner, was so dominant in 1995 that he was responsible for 21 of the 22 throws that year over 89m.