Women hammer throwers must improve technique: Expert

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)