Double Olympic and world champion Sandra Perkovic explains the intricacies of one of the oldest athletics disciplines
First of all, the rules. Athletes throw a metal disc weighing 2kg for men (22cm in diameter) and 1kg (18cm in diameter) for women, as far as possible while remaining inside a 2.5-metre diameter circle.
In order for the throw to be measured, the discus must land inside a marked sector and the athlete must not leave the circle before it has landed. The athlete must also only leave from the rear half of the circle.
How did you start?
I started doing athletics when I was about eight years old but was also playing basketball and volleyball. What I liked about athletics is that it is an individual sport – it was up to you if you succeeded, it did not depend on how your team-mates played. Five years later I was in a multi-event and it came down to the last event between two of us, throwing a ball.
The other girl threw 42m and I threw 58m. That was the moment I decided I wanted to be a thrower. I tried hammer and shot but, the first time I picked up a discus, I knew that was my event.
How do you throw a discus?
First, clean any dirt off it, step into the circle, focus on your technique. There are different throwing techniques. Everyone takes the one that is best for them and the one they can control. Throwers typically take one-and-a-half spins before releasing the discus. I have built and refined my technique over the years. Each athlete needs to choose the technique that fits their abilities – whether they are fast, technically strong, powerful etc. With experience, as you release the discus from the hand, you know how good the throw is.
How important is the size of a person?
Traditionally discus throwers are tall because being taller often means longer arms which generate more power. But now, with different techniques – reverse or not [reverse means a right-handed thrower would deliver the discus with the left foot forward and the right foot back and vice versa] – size is less important.
I remember Róbert Fazekas, the Hungarian discus thrower, who won gold in the 2002 European Championships and silver in the 2003 world championships. He was short but still threw over 70m. [Men’s world champion] Kristjan Čeh is very tall but also compact. Some tall people look a bit dislocated but Čeh is tall and normal. On the other hand, Cuba has great discus throwers but they are not so tall. Tall is good but it is not the only thing.
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