GOTHENBURG, Sweden, Aug 7 - Three-times Olympic and world champion Jan Zelezny will make a final bid for the only major title to elude him after qualifying for the men's javelin final at the European championships on Monday.

The 40-year-old Czech world record holder, considered the greatest javelin thrower in history, has a best finish at the championships of third in 1994.

His opening throw of 80.60 metres was good enough to reach his third European final even though the automatic qualifying standard was 81.00. Zelezny's other two efforts were no-throws.

"It is special to be still around," Zelezny told reporters. "I was not satisfied with my technique. Unfortunately, I was forced to do the other two throws.

"You never know, I will see tomorrow what my body tells me. I have enough speed but I need to transfer it to my throws. I will try and risk everything in the final," added Zelezny, who won the 1995 world title in Gothenburg's Ullevi stadium.

"I feel like I am in pretty good shape for my age but nothing is perfect anymore so any medal I can win would be a success. I would need a lot of luck to win the European title."

Olympic champion Andreas Thorkildsen topped the qualifying round with 86.55 metres for Wednesday's final.

Zelezny, whose illustrious career has spanned two decades, will retire later this year.

He won his first major medal, a bronze, at the 1987 world championships and went on to take the title in 1993, 1995 and 2001.

Zelezny was Olympic champion in 1992, 1996 and 2000. His world record of 98.48 metres had stood for 10 years.