Felke Boosts Record in Javelin to 262-11

East German Petra Felke set a world record in the women’s javelin Friday with a throw of 262 feet 11 inches (80.00 meters), improving her own mark by more than four feet.

“I didn’t know I was in a position to reach the 80-meter dream mark,” Felke said. “But naturally it’s in your mind when you are only a javelin length from the limit.”

Felke made the throw on her sixth attempt during a meet at Potsdam Stadium. Her previous mark of 258-10 (78.90 meters) was set July 29, 1987, at Leipzig, East Germany.

“After just two months of training, I thought today I would be good for between 75 and 76 meters. But after the first attempt, I realized that today I could throw long,” she said. “The light headwind, two strong competitors and the audience were a great help.”

Felke broke the world mark twice in one day on June 4, 1985, throwing the javelin first 246-11, then 247-4.

But she lost the record to Britain’s Fatima Whitbread in the European Championships at Stuttgart, West Germany, in 1986. In the 1987 World Championships at Rome, Felke took the silver medal behind Whitbread.

“It was my greatest goal to accomplish this,” Felke said Friday. “Now I hope I can take the gold in Seoul.”

WOMEN’S JAVELIN ALL-TIME LIST

Mark Name Country Year 262-11 Ptera Felke East Germany 1988 254-1 Fatima Whitbread Britain 1986 245-3 Tiina Lillak Finland 1983 243-5 Sofia Sakorafa Greece 1982 241-5 Teresa Sanderson Britain 1983