Schmidt was one of the finest technical throwers. He along with Powell and Wilkins used lineal movement to its finest. So many throwers today rely in their sheer mass and leave so much distance on the table due to basic mistakes.
Vésteinn Hafsteinsson, coach of Gerd Kanter and Daniel Stahl (both olimpic gold medalist and world champs), always refer to Schmidt when he talks about perfect technique. That's why Wolgang Schmidt isn't considered only one of the greatest discus thrower, but a MASTER thrower.
Part of the reasons why the old school throwers had an amazing finish with their feet still on the ground, it's because they practiced the glide technique to throw the shot, so their finish was powerful to the front of the circle, i think I'll have to do some glide drills before i do my power position throws.
Sweet video! I remember back in the day I almost wore out my Mac Wilkins VHS tape watching Schmidt over and over. Hands down the best technique of all time. Thanks for posting Charles, this is great stuff!
In the cold war era , the countries involved made a big deal out of winning in Olympic games, it was their way of showing they could beat the countries on the other side , so doping became a state sponsored thing ,while doping wasn't thoroughly checked as it is now , the best doctors got involved in doping athletes and that took place everywhere :( China - East and West Germany - East Europe - West Europe - the USSR - the USA ) . I'm not trying to take away from such a big athlete as this one but what i said was a fact back then.
Very true I'm afraid. Several western athletes fell short of their best due to having to come off of steroids way before competition to avoid detection.
Просто машина. Техника идеальна, не к чему придраться. Шмидта всегда ставили в пример. При нынешней фармподготовке метал бы за 70 регулярно, а на ветер, как некоторые, за 76.
I wanna be a discus thrower I’m pretty good for only have gotten started 8 weeks ago I’m 12 my birthday was two weeks ago and I can throw 28m but I’m not fat and all that I’m wondering if I have to be big and fat to be a discus thrower but I guess I don’t have to Update: I’m now 13 and throw 40m I train 3 times a week and do 100 push-ups a day. Thanks for this video it’s inspirational
Along with plenty of other russian and eastern block countries they were full of drugs when the records were set back in the 80's and were never caught, such a shame on sport.
Did you read the book thrown free ? It’s a great book about his life up to 1990! It’s important today as we must all be thrown free of censorship and oppressive operators. He has a little humor while in the stasi interrogation room mocking “the actor /twitchers “ discontent. The interrogator starts twitching like he’s going to explode in anger , so Wolfgang starts mimicking the twitches. Master of the discus / master of the mind.
