View source for Ferenc Paragi

{{short description|Hungarian javelin thrower}}
{{use dmy dates|date=September 2022}}
{{Hungarian name|Paragi Ferenc}}
{{Infobox sportsperson
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| national_team = <!-- only for the country represented in international competition -->
| birth_date = {{birth date|1953|8|21|df=y}}
| birth_place = [[Budapest]], [[Hungarian People's Republic|Hungary]]
| death_date = {{death date and age|2016|4|21|1953|8|21|df=y}}
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| height = 179 cm
| weight = 104 kg
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| country = {{HUN}}
| sport = [[Track and field]]
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| event = [[Javelin throw]]
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| nationals = '''[[Hungarian Athletics Championships]]''' (Winner: 1975–77, 1979, 1982)
| olympics = {{ubl|'''[[Athletics at the 1976 Summer Olympics – Men's javelin throw|1976 Summer Olympics]]''' (20th)|'''[[Athletics at the 1980 Summer Olympics – Men's javelin throw|1980 Summer Olympics]]''' (10th)}}
| pb = 96.72m (1980, '''WR''')
}}
'''Ferenc Paragi''' (21 August 1953 – 21 April 2016) was a Hungarian athlete who, on 23 April 1980 established a [[athletics world record|world record]] of 96.72 meters in the [[javelin throw]], eclipsing the global standard set by fellow countryman [[Miklós Németh (athlete)|Miklós Németh]] at the [[1976 Summer Olympics]] in [[Montreal]].<ref>[http://index.hu/sport/atletika/2016/04/21/meghalt_a_volt_vilagcsucstarto_magyar_gerelyhajito/ Meghalt a volt világcsúcstartó magyar gerelyhajító] {{in lang|hu}}</ref>

This effort added more than two meters to the previous world record, fueling discussion and speculation regarding the likelihood of alterations to the javelin's design and flight characteristics. Proposed changes would finally take effect in 1986, following another two sizable improvements to the javelin world record; the first coming in 1983, when [[Tom Petranoff]], then of the United States, added precisely three meters to Paragi's mark, and the other in 1984, when East German [[Uwe Hohn]] launched the 800&nbsp;gram implement to 104.80 meters.

Hohn's mark only came after the new design had already been officially proposed, and contrary to a popular myth had nothing to do with the change.<ref name="Bremicker">{{cite web |url=http://www.coachr.org/javrevision.htm |title=Why did the senior javelin specification have to be changed? |author=Erich Bremicker |access-date=29 October 2009 |archive-date=23 September 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180923001604/http://www.coachr.org/javrevision.htm |url-status=dead }}</ref> Indeed, the primary reason for the change was to get rid of the then frequent flat or ambiguous landings, which often made it hard to assess if a throw should be declared legal, most famously in the high-profile case at the [[1980 Summer Olympics]] in [[Moscow]] where the eventual winner [[Dainis Kūla]] only progressed to the last three rounds with an apparently flat throw.<ref name="Bremicker" /> Ambiguous landings were also much more difficult to measure accurately, compared to clearly legal ones where the javelin would stick in the ground at the landing spot.

Paragi also competed at the Moscow Olympics. Even though his form had dipped a bit after another monster mark of 96.20 on 18 May 1980, there could be no question he was among the leading favorites. However, he had problems in the qualifying round, languishing more than five meters from a spot in the finals after two rounds with a sub-standard mark of 72.60, but saved himself by throwing 88.76 with his third and final attempt &ndash; the best mark in the whole qualifying competition by almost three meters. Next day in the final however, he could do no better than 79.52 and finished in tenth place. His qualification performance would have been enough for a bronze.

Paragi was the Hungarian champion for 5 years.<ref>[http://www.iaaf.org/news/iaaf-news/ferenc-paragi-obituary Former Javelin World Record-holder Paragi Dies]</ref>

== References ==
{{Reflist}}

==External links==
* [https://web.archive.org/web/20070206084825/http://koti.welho.com/mrasilai/index.htm Olympic Javelin Statistics]
* {{Sports-reference}}

{{Footer WBYP Javelin Men}}
{{Footer Hungarian Athletics Championships winners in Men's Javelin Throw}}
{{Authority control}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Paragi, Ferenc}}
[[Category:1953 births]]
[[Category:2016 deaths]]
[[Category:Athletes from Budapest]]
[[Category:Hungarian male javelin throwers]]
[[Category:Olympic athletes for Hungary]]
[[Category:Athletes (track and field) at the 1976 Summer Olympics]]
[[Category:Athletes (track and field) at the 1980 Summer Olympics]]
[[Category:Hungarian Athletics Championships winners]]
[[Category:20th-century Hungarian sportsmen]]