Women hammer throwers must improve technique: Expert

JAKARTA (JP): Australian women's hammer throw coach Lawrie Barclay said on Wednesday that Southeast Asian athletes still need to improve their technique if they want to achieve results similar to those from other regions.

Speaking after a 10-day training camp for women hammer throwers -- staged by the International Amateur Athletic Federation's (IAAF) Jakarta Regional Development Center -- Barclay said the main obstacle for local women hammer throwers was that they did not really understand the right technique.

"On my first day here, I saw that the biggest problem was they didn't understand the right technique for the hammer throw as it's a relatively new sport.

"But during the training camp, I saw that they were improving thanks to their strong, fit physical condition. The coaches were also very motivated to learn."

The women's hammer throw will be introduced for the first time in the region at the upcoming Southeast Asian (SEA) Games in Kuala Lumpur from Sept. 8 to Sept. 17 along with the women's pole vault. The event itself was officially introduced by the IAAF in 1998.

Barclay said bringing an athlete -- Karyne di Marco -- to act as a role-model had also helped coaches and athletes to improve their technique.

"Coaches and athletes can imitate and see the proper technique demonstrated by an athlete. It's very different then if they just see it on video or in books."

Di Marco, formerly known as Karyne Perkins, was a member of the Australian track and field squad at the Sydney Olympics last year. Unfortunately, she failed to reach the final round of the women's hammer throw event.

Barclay expressed his optimism that Southeast Asian athletes would be able to reach 55 meters within one year of intensive training after the camp.

"Some of the athletes are very good. When they compete in the SEA Games, believe me, some of them will reach the 50-meter mark."

During the camp, Indonesian Yurita Ariani managed to throw over the 48 meters mark, far above her personal best of 46.56 meters.

However, her result was far behind the Olympic record of 71.16 meters achieved by Kamila Skolimowska of Poland.

Indonesian coach Muksin expressed hope that Yurita would be able to fulfill the target of winning gold.

"If we look at the result of the camp, I'm optimistic that she will be able to win a gold."

The Philippines coach Dorie Cortejo said that the camp would help her groom younger athletes for the next games in Vietnam in 2003.

"The camp has been very helpful for us to acquire the knowledge and the ideas of how to groom young athletes. But as for the SEA Games, I don't think the Philippines will be able to take gold this year. Indonesia and Thailand are much better. Hopefully, we can achieve gold in 2003." (yan)