I would argue that every world record has had a superior weather condition. Giving complete credit to the wind is not possible in our event like sprints . We are putting a discus in the air where the wind crosses at angles . Furthermore, there is skill to utilize the wind as mentioned . It is just part of what we do . I personally keep records for every type of weather condition. I know my rainy cold day record for instance. I feel these marks are legitimate and reflective of the history of the event .
Can't imagine WRs in discus or javelin without great winds. Much prefer to see the 1980s GDR records scratched out and replaced. Wind doping > 'dope' doping.
Wind is not ruining discus but we are in an era now where it shouldn't be difficult to record wind strength and direction at each notable meeting so that the conditions can at least be factored into the results for ultimate performance comparisons. Looking at Alekna's WR, I believe it would have gone further had he thrown further left. 75m+.
Fortunately, we can see the data from that based on the biomechanists who were they. They found some VERY VERY interesting things regarding his release.
I recall at the olympic training center, they were measuring all of our release velocities and angles of release....and the tech said they have calculated men's disc can get +3 meters and women's +6 meters based on wind.
Nothing new here... the discus has always been effected by wind. World records has never been a guarantee that the holder will win whatever upcoming championship is next anyway so people who gripe about this just need to take the stick out of their a...
I agree we have to stop limiting ourselves and understand that throwing needs more marketing. These meets help with that as well as expose the thrower to different elements to compete under.
Bring on the wind everywhere. The meets with favorable winds are so much more fun for the competitors and the fans. Every word record set in the discus probably had favorable winds.
Catching a gale force wind is extremely rare, and it has to be a slight cross wind so it hold the discus up but doesn't push against it. Most of the discus flight has to be on its side vertical not horizontal. If you can get it to do a complete flip at the apex, it will go forever.
Yeah with other comments. Wind always been factor. I believe psychological factors exist too. The Bannister Effect. When I threw my best in HS in 1977, 201 ft had just been attained as national record. Now it seems, to be in top 10 you've got to be 200+ for sure. In 77' high 180s could get you there. Advances in resistance training etc yes. More of that in HS now yes. But I don't see much difference in physicality in top high school or elite throwers today from 45 years ago. Look at Mac Wilkens or Wolfgang Schmidt, even Al Oerter when he tried to return at 40+ was a beast. In HS it's the gifted guys that get it done and if they can can transition to the 2k well, then the more intense training takes you to elite. If your 'lucky'. Roger Bannister ,1st under 4min mile. Now 'everyone' does it. In my humble opinion anyway.
When I was in HS one of our opponents had a disc field, that if you could throw down the rt foul line you'd gain maybe 8-10 ft because it sloped downhill. Didn't do me any good, I was always center. This happen to anyone else? At a meet my Jr year, I took 4th in a dual meet w 140'+. All 3 ahead of me were Srs. My teammate was state champ, their top guy took 9th at state and their big shot putter got a lucky one for 3rd (147'+)
A great discussion, guys. However, there is absolutely no reason to expect a precocious discus thrower, like Alekna at age 22, to throw farther as he ages. This is such a mind trap and we see it across so many sports. For example, some running back comes into the NFL and has 4.2 yards per carry his rookie season and commentators then "project" how much better he'll be as he matures. One rarely sees it in the stats. Weightlifters, the same, as most peak in strength in early to mid 20s . . . unless they gain weight and jump weight classes. Usain Bolt would be a good example peaking at age 23. All this, a long way of saying this might be, likely will be, the farthest taped competitive throw by Alekna over his remaining career. I hope I'm wrong but I won't be surprised if we are seeing "peak Alekna" right now.
Good discussion. The wind no doubt can assist the aerodynamics of the discus. Yes the thrower has to hit it but in the same sport we negate records in the sprints and jumps for wind assistance. So it’s the same thing in my mind. Discus is a beautiful event. Period. These men and women throw It far - regardless.
We always chased wind. Everyone always has. Salinas and Modesto California. Thr big wind challenge on Maui, ucsd in San Diego, texas tech....find the wind, throw far!
I will say that while I love watching massive throws, my issue isn’t with the wind. It’s with the type of meets. These early season throws only meets greatly diminish the performance for me. 71 by Stahl on the last throw at worlds is a significantly more impressive performance than the series by Alekna
Why not partition outdoor records into stadium and non-stadium, similar to indoor/outdoor? Thus, any ‘wind chasing’ records would be separated, but still allowed to expand the sport’s visibility.
But that's impossible. You'd need 6-9 wind gauges facing in every direction and and a supercomputer and even then you'd be guessing as to how much benefit there is. Some of these gauges would need to be 10m in the air. Wind gauges only work for ground level events that go in 1 direction...
I think there just needs to be wind labels with the throw. Like in the 100 you see the wind. Because it doesn’t seem fair for people who can’t go to OK to get an amazing wind
What do you think about wind and the discus? Let us know your thoughts 👇👇
People have been chasing winds for years. This is great for the sport
No wind is not ruining discus. More distance = more cool
I would argue that every world record has had a superior weather condition. Giving complete credit to the wind is not possible in our event like sprints . We are putting a discus in the air where the wind crosses at angles . Furthermore, there is skill to utilize the wind as mentioned . It is just part of what we do . I personally keep records for every type of weather condition. I know my rainy cold day record for instance. I feel these marks are legitimate and reflective of the history of the event .
Can't imagine WRs in discus or javelin without great winds. Much prefer to see the 1980s GDR records scratched out and replaced. Wind doping > 'dope' doping.
Wind is not ruining discus but we are in an era now where it shouldn't be difficult to record wind strength and direction at each notable meeting so that the conditions can at least be factored into the results for ultimate performance comparisons.
Looking at Alekna's WR, I believe it would have gone further had he thrown further left. 75m+.
Fortunately, we can see the data from that based on the biomechanists who were they. They found some VERY VERY interesting things regarding his release.
People were throwing the discuss in the wind when the sport started, let's not over think this.
I recall at the olympic training center, they were measuring all of our release velocities and angles of release....and the tech said they have calculated men's disc can get +3 meters and women's +6 meters based on wind.
Nothing new here... the discus has always been effected by wind. World records has never been a guarantee that the holder will win whatever upcoming championship is next anyway so people who gripe about this just need to take the stick out of their a...
I agree we have to stop limiting ourselves and understand that throwing needs more marketing. These meets help with that as well as expose the thrower to different elements to compete under.
Bring on the wind everywhere. The meets with favorable winds are so much more fun for the competitors and the fans. Every word record set in the discus probably had favorable winds.
Its part of the game that's played in the nature open they're also needs to be more indoor disc meets
Catching a gale force wind is extremely rare, and it has to be a slight cross wind so it hold the discus up but doesn't push against it. Most of the discus flight has to be on its side vertical not horizontal. If you can get it to do a complete flip at the apex, it will go forever.
Us old guys remember the old HS huge sector we practiced throwing sectors we threw left, center, and right. It's part of the sport.
Yeah with other comments. Wind always been factor. I believe psychological factors exist too. The Bannister Effect. When I threw my best in HS in 1977, 201 ft had just been attained as national record. Now it seems, to be in top 10 you've got to be 200+ for sure. In 77' high 180s could get you there. Advances in resistance training etc yes. More of that in HS now yes. But I don't see much difference in physicality in top high school or elite throwers today from 45 years ago. Look at Mac Wilkens or Wolfgang Schmidt, even Al Oerter when he tried to return at 40+ was a beast. In HS it's the gifted guys that get it done and if they can can transition to the 2k well, then the more intense training takes you to elite. If your 'lucky'.
Roger Bannister ,1st under 4min mile. Now 'everyone' does it.
In my humble opinion anyway.
When I was in HS one of our opponents had a disc field, that if you could throw down the rt foul line you'd gain maybe 8-10 ft because it sloped downhill. Didn't do me any good, I was always center. This happen to anyone else? At a meet my Jr year, I took 4th in a dual meet w 140'+. All 3 ahead of me were Srs. My teammate was state champ, their top guy took 9th at state and their big shot putter got a lucky one for 3rd (147'+)
A great discussion, guys. However, there is absolutely no reason to expect a precocious discus thrower, like Alekna at age 22, to throw farther as he ages. This is such a mind trap and we see it across so many sports. For example, some running back comes into the NFL and has 4.2 yards per carry his rookie season and commentators then "project" how much better he'll be as he matures. One rarely sees it in the stats. Weightlifters, the same, as most peak in strength in early to mid 20s . . . unless they gain weight and jump weight classes. Usain Bolt would be a good example peaking at age 23. All this, a long way of saying this might be, likely will be, the farthest taped competitive throw by Alekna over his remaining career. I hope I'm wrong but I won't be surprised if we are seeing "peak Alekna" right now.
Good discussion. The wind no doubt can assist the aerodynamics of the discus. Yes the thrower has to hit it but in the same sport we negate records in the sprints and jumps for wind assistance. So it’s the same thing in my mind.
Discus is a beautiful event. Period. These men and women throw It far - regardless.
We always chased wind. Everyone always has. Salinas and Modesto California. Thr big wind challenge on Maui, ucsd in San Diego, texas tech....find the wind, throw far!
I peep the jaylib shirt!!!!!
Wind is the half squat of discus.
start recording direction and speed at throws, at least at ground level. sort it out years from now. Keep throwing big every day, rain or shine.
Jurgens record was an open windy arena!
I will say that while I love watching massive throws, my issue isn’t with the wind. It’s with the type of meets. These early season throws only meets greatly diminish the performance for me. 71 by Stahl on the last throw at worlds is a significantly more impressive performance than the series by Alekna
i watched a 140 foot discus thrower throw 180 lol it DOES MATTER, Ellensburg washington
Why not partition outdoor records into stadium and non-stadium, similar to indoor/outdoor? Thus, any ‘wind chasing’ records would be separated, but still allowed to expand the sport’s visibility.
They should account for wind assistance just as they do in running events. Someone could break the WR distance without it being recognized as a WR.
But that's impossible. You'd need 6-9 wind gauges facing in every direction and and a supercomputer and even then you'd be guessing as to how much benefit there is. Some of these gauges would need to be 10m in the air. Wind gauges only work for ground level events that go in 1 direction...
I think there just needs to be wind labels with the throw. Like in the 100 you see the wind. Because it doesn’t seem fair for people who can’t go to OK to get an amazing wind
I dont know but there should be a maximal allowed wind. Lets say 4m/s.