Hammer girl set for four-spin tuneup at Singapore Open ahead of Asiad
Musthofid, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta
National hammer thrower and Asiad medal hopeful, Yurita Ariany is slated to compete in the Singapore Open track and field meet next week, and will also be her final tuneup ahead of the 2002 Asian Games in Busan, South Korea.
The Singapore Open will run for three days from Sept. 7 to 9, while the multi-event Asian Games, to which Indonesia will be taking only 100 athletes to compete in 20 sporting disciplines, is scheduled to start on Sept. 29 for a two-week competition.
Yurita is going to use the Singapore Open as a live dress rehearsal using her new throwing technique which includes four revolutions, instead of three, before the release of the hammer.
"Being the first competition for me to use the four-spin method, the meet is expected to give me an assessment about how much progress I've made since my serious training began in January," Yurita told The Jakarta Post before a workout at Madya Stadium here on Friday.
In her former three-spin method, Yurita chalked up a personal best and national record of 53.26 meters at a local competition here in July.
The mark also showed improvement relative to other outings this year. After managing only 49.89 meters in Thailand in May, she improved slightly to 50.89 meters in Taiwan in June.
Yurita said that the new technique, if she can master it, would increase her throws by at least three meters. "Once during my practice this week, I hit 54 meters," she said casually, even though it was an unofficial national record.
"I don't feel smooth yet. I still need time to finely tune it before I am really prepared for the four-spin throw, hopefully by next month," she said.
Given the Asian Championship results in Colombo, Sri Lanka, last month, Yurita will have to improve by at least four meters to stand a realistic chance of contending for a medal in Busan.
"The bronze medalist in Colombo threw it 57 meters. I'm confident I will go that far," she said.
Her trainer Muksin said what his protege would have to polish up further on her timing of pull and spinning in the release of the hammer.
"Within one month to go to the Asian Games, I hope that she will perfect her throws. She already has built her speed and power but she needs get her timing perfect too," Muksin said, mentioning China and India as two strong contenders.
Yurita is one of the three track and field hopefuls for Busan. The other two are marathoner I Gede Karang Asem and pole vaulter Ni Putu Desy Margawati, the bronze medalist in Colombo.