Part 1 :2019 : 11 years 22.88m and 26.59m 750g Karmen is born in 2008 and has started throwing the discus very early (at 10 years) in the club ”juniors” competitions. With help of her Mum , she developed a technique very similar with what can be seen with beginners trying to achieve a discus turn and usually throwing nearly as far with a simple standing throw. One can see that all the thrower ”internal picture” of the throw is essentially focusing on THE THROWING ARM and about trying to TURN AND PULL as hard as possible . The documents of throws at 22,88m and 26,59m with 750g are : 1-Video analysis with slow motion and frozen pictures (august 2018 10y) 2-Photo sequence analysis shows the problems at the different stages of the throw. But there are also some good points and an obvious potential in the event.

Part 2 : In this document (feb 2020) , it is easy to see the technical improvements and the work which has been done. Of course , the technique is far to be perfect but it would be utopian to expect such a thing from a 11y old . Karmen has a better entry , but still too aggressive from the left arm and upper body . She has a much better right legs building momentum action , but still overturning instead of driving across the circle . One of the most difficult point has been to manage a right foot accelerating pivot holding the head over the foot . It is nearly done and efficient. The delivery is a lot better in spite of the problem of pulling back with the left shoulder and pulling up with the right. There is still a lot of work to do (Control of the head and left arm , better drive , faster left leg landing …) …and it is a good new for potential further progresses. The commented photo sequence also uses comparison with technical models and will be easy to decipher by coaches and athletes dealing with the same

Part 3 : 40.03m 750g It is now 5 months since Karmen’ story 2 have been achieved and we have had all the trouble with the Covid 19 problem until training was allowed again in June . Sometimes it is not too bad to start training again with a fresh body and a fresh mind . And it works ! At the first ”Winter series” competition in Auckland Karmen did not miss the opportunity to break her PB by 3 more meters and achieve her primary objective goal to get over the 40m line. One can see on the following documents that a lot of work has been done on the technical side , especially in the right leg swing , the right foot pivoting and the delivery . Of course there is still more to be worked on before you can really go for speed and much bigger throws , but people are already betting that the 45m line has become now a very reasonable objective ! Documents available : -1-Tech4 Photo sequence of 40,03m throw with comments and corrections -2-Vid1 Video technical analysis

Part 4 : 42.15m 750g So this is another chapter of our discus beginner story with 12y old Karmen Elizabeth MARITZ . Now we are looking for bigger and bigger throws and last Saturday 26 September , she made another significant progress with a new PB at 42,15m with the 750g (Also a new club record in the process) . This being confirmed by another PB with the 1kg implement at 35,06m. The good new is that it was far to be a perfect or ”lucky” throw and that she did not threw as well as we already happen to see in training . So there is still room for further progresses at short term …and why not throws over 45m before the end of the year and the definitive move to the 1kg implement (a stupidity by the ways as it would be so much better for young girls to learn the proper technique and coordination with light implements at least until 16y) . So let’s wait now for ”beginner story 5 ” , we are just going to write the scenario in the next training sessions ! .( Note : The Auckland record is 47,30m ). Available documents ; 1-VID 1 Karmen Maritz 42,15m Video technical analysis -2-VID2 Karmen Maritz 35,06m 1kg Video technical analysis.

Part 5 : 2021 13 years 41.56m 1kg : Another episode in the ”soap opera” staring the young Karmen Elizabeth MARITZ discus adventures. This time it is a new 2m PB with the senior 1kg implement that she ejected to 41,56m at the NZL North Island school champs in Hamilton on Sunday 11 Avril 2021. A great performance at this age and a new Auckland centre U14 best ever performance . Karmen in fact is training VERY seriously with great support and help of her parents . Mum Elizabeth is seriously invested as assistant coach with DLP and Dad is always ready to help as volunteer official and organizer. At 13 years of age , Karmen Elizabeth is certainly taller than average …and still growing. She is throwing nearly everything successfully (she won the javelin at the same championship (PB 31,98m) and came 3rd in the shot put (PB 11,85m 3kg). She is also a good netball player. But the discus throw seems to be her number 1 event so far. She has considerably improved her technique (Compare with preceding episodes in this discus chapter of the blog) but there are still some areas of development (see technical analysis) even before starting for some sort of basic general conditioning adapted to her age. Now , what will be the next episode , we don’t really know but a throw close to 45m before the end of the year has to become a logical goal and that would mean entering the world class level for this age. Available documents : 1-Tech 0 PDF 3 pages extract Technical analysis (Visitors) -2-Tech 2 PDF 5 pages extract technical Analysis (Registered visitors) -2 Tech 3 PDF 9 pages Technical analysis full document (Members) 4-Vid 1 Video analysis of the 41,56m throw (members)