How Gia Lewis-Smallwood got American discus record — at 35
Never stop learning. That applies double to older athletes. Just because your sainted high school coach told you one thing, it don’t mean you still gotta obey. That’s my takeaway from a great IAAF profile of Gia Lewis-Smallwood, whose American elite record in the discus this year is probably worth submitting as a W35 American record. “Every top discus thrower in history had used the sweep [a throwing technique where the right foot sweeps past the left side of the body and leads the throw] and I had reached the point where I needed to focus on mastering it,” she says. “It wasn’t natural to me. As soon as I got back from London I cleared out the furniture in my living room and practiced it over and over and over for hours and hours and hours.” So hie thee to a living room and get cracking! (And check out this booming throw.)
2 Responses
Technique can always be improved upon and everyone has different tweaks. Nobody can buy or develop that arm she has!! More to come!
“Just because your sainted high school coach told you one thing, it don’t mean you still gotta obey. That’s my takeaway”. Weird takeaway!!
One of the few decent teachers at my high school had a big sign in his class that said
THINK FOR YOURSELF. YOUR TEACHER MAY BE WRONG!
Randy, you coming out of retirement when you hit 60?
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