Markus Esser is a retired German hammer throw. His personal best is 81.10 metres, achieved in July 2006 in Leverkusen. This ranks him eighth among German hammer throwers, behind Ralf Haber, Heinz Weis, Karsten Kobs, Günther Rodehau, Holger Klose, Christoph Sahner and Klaus Ploghaus.
Markus Esser in 2014
The hammer throw is one of the four throwing events in regular outdoor track and field competitions, along with the discus throw, shot put and javelin.
The traditional Highland games version of the event
Scottish hammer throw illustration from Frank R. Stockton's book Round-about Rambles in Lands of Fact and Fancy
Irish American John Flanagan in the hammer throw competition at the Summer Olympics 1908 in London
The contemporary version of the hammer throw