The hammer throw at the World Championships in Athletics has been contested by both men since the inaugural edition in 1983, and by women since 1999.

Canada is the only nation aside from Poland that has won a gold medal in both the men's and the women's event.

Paweł Fajdek is the most successful athlete in the event, winning 5 gold medals in a row between 2013 and 2022.

His 5 gold medals are the second-most for any athlete in a single individual event, a feat only bettered by Sergey Bubka in the pole vault.

Yipsi Moreno is the only other athlete besides Fajdek and Włodarczyk to have won more than 2 gold medals in the event.