Why do throwers walk out of the back of the circle?
I · Intermediate · The throw · 1 of 5The athlete must stay in the circle until the shot has touched the ground. They must then leave from the back half. Their first touch on the top of the rim or the ground outside has to be completely behind the white line drawn out from each side of the circle. Leaving early or from the front half is a failure.
How it works
- Wait for the landing: it is a failure "if the athlete leaves the circle or runway before the implement has touched the ground".
- Leave from the back: it is a failure if, when leaving, "the athlete's first contact with the top of the rim or the ground outside the circle is not completely behind the white line which is drawn outside the circle running, theoretically, through the centre of the circle".
- What counts as leaving: "The first contact with the top of the rim or the ground outside the circle is considered leaving."
- The white line: 50 mm wide, drawn from the top of the rim for at least 0.75 m on each side of the circle. Its rear edge is level with the centre of the circle.
- Completely behind: a foot that comes down on the line is not completely behind it.
- When the trial is complete: for the judge's flag, a throw is complete once the athlete has left the circle.
- Stopping without throwing: an athlete who interrupts a trial before any rule has been broken may leave the circle in any direction.
Tricky cases
A thrower overbalances and steps out of the front after the shot has landed. Is it a failure?
Yes. Waiting for the landing is not enough. The first contact outside must also be behind the white line.
A thrower steps on the white line itself on the way out. Is it a failure?
Yes. The first contact has to be completely behind the line.
Does the athlete have to wait for the judge's flag before leaving?
No. The rule asks only that the implement has touched the ground.
An athlete stops mid-throw, puts the shot down and walks out of the front. Is it a failure?
No, provided no rule had been broken before they stopped. They may come back and throw if time remains.
Why the rule exists
A thrower who can fall forward out of the circle can put everything into the release and none into staying in. Having to wait for the landing and then walk out of the back shows the judges that the athlete finished the throw in control and inside the rim.
Where it differs
| Where | What changes | Source |
|---|---|---|
| World Athletics rules | As above | TR 32.17.1; TR 32.17.2; TR 32.8 |
| Javelin | The athlete leaves behind the arc and the lines drawn from its ends | TR 32.17.3 |
| An interrupted trial | The athlete may leave in any direction | TR 32.15 commentary |
From the rule book
World Athletics, Competition and Technical Rules, 2026 Edition, Technical Rules 25.8.3, 32.8, 32.15 and 32.17. Checked 14 October 2026. Official document: World Athletics Competition and Technical Rules 2026 (PDF).