Coaching and Care of Athletes

COACHING AND CARE OF ATHLETES to a line a distance of I in. from the centre of the discus. The largest dimension shall be a circle not less than 8i ins. in diameter. The thickness through the exact centre, on a line perpendicular to the diameter, shall not be less than I! ins. The thickness at I in. from the centre shall be exactly the same as at the centre. The thickness of the rim at a distance of! in. from the edge shall not be less than l in. The edge shall he rounded on a true circle. The weight of the discus shall be not less than 4t lb. complete as thrown. A metal 1<0-----------\ '<-----8' 2 'tz''- R2 L~ Rt FIG. 198. FOOTWORK FOR THE DISCUS .THROW discus complying with the official measure– ments, conditions, and weight may be used. Fig. I g8 shows the footwork of the discus– thrower. The starting stance is represented by the footmarks RI and L I. The position of the feet, however, varies with the build of the athlete and some=-– what in accordance with the technique he uses. He can either stand with his back turned to the direction in which he is going .to throw, when his feet will be placed on either side of the line of direction, with his toes touching the inner edge of the side of the circle remote from the direction of the throw; or, secondly, place his feet in the position shown in Fig. Ig8, when his back will be turned obliquely to the throwing direction; or, thirdly, stand sideways to the throv,;ing direction, when the balls of both feet will be placed upon the line of direction. Hoffmeister of Germany, former world's record-holder at 160ft. ! in., shows the sideways stance in Plate LX, Fig. 2QI, as does Schroder, the present world's record-holder, in Plate LXI, Fig. 203. The oblique stance is shown by B. Kulitzy, of Hungary, in Plate LX, Fig. 202. The discus is retained under the hand mainly by centrifugal force. It cannot be gripped, but is overlapped by the tips of the 434