Commonwealth Games javelin thrower Ben Langton also a world record cellphone thrower

Ben Langton Burnell in action in at the IAAF World Championships in London last year. Photo / Photosport.

If only cellphone throwing was an internationally recognized sport for New Zealand javelin thrower Ben Langton Burnell.

The 25-year-old - who was today named in New Zealand's 15-man track and field squad ahead of the Gold Coast Commonwealth Games in April - lays claim to be the world record holder of the longest throw of a cellphone.

Speaking to Radio Sport's Mark Watson, Langton Burnell said he set the unheralded record using a Nokia phone in his native Palmerston North five years ago.

"I did it at the Massey athletics track in Palmerston North [in] 2013," the reigning New Zealand and Oceania champion said.

"It was a Nokia N9? It was definitely a Nokia, it was one of those slim ones, it was one of the little Nokias. It pulled the plug on me, and I decided [to throw it]."

Langton Burnell laughed off the proposition that the world record throw was the result of an "angry" text from his then-girlfriend.

"Well, I don't think I was having problems with my girlfriend at the time. I mean, we're not together anymore, but I don't think there were any problems with the girlfriend at the time, I think it just decided it wasn't going to play anymore.

"It was probably at the time, to be fair, me being angry that I couldn't message my girlfriend, so why not go out and throw it?"

Langton Burnell, who finished 24th at the IAAF World Championships in London last year, is New Zealand's only javelin representative at the Commonwealth Games.

The men's javelin throw preliminary event is scheduled to begin on 13 April, with the medal event set to be staged the day after.

To get the day's top sports stories in your inbox, sign up to our newsletter here