The o146;brien glide

THE FLAW

8226; Shot put then had one basic rule: stay within the seven-foot ring and throw it over the shoulder. Aping the hammer-throw swing was declared illegal. So the routine was: a flatfooted sideways turn followed by the heave. With the thrower stationed in the centre, the back of the ring was wasted

THE EUREKA MOMENT

8226; Since O8217;Brien was a shot putter, discus thrower and relay runner, he spent a lot of time hopping from meet to meet. Back in the early 1950s that meant train journeys, and on one such journey, he realised what he needed to do: utilise the back of the ring

THE TRADEMARK

8226; O8217;Brien moved his position from the side of the circle to the back with his eyes and head in the opposite direction to the throwing area. He started with a hop across the circle and by the time he reached the toe board he was perfectly anchored for the throw. The physics was flawless: One can get more speed if one travels with the object constantly applying the same force for an extended period. An LA Times reporter called it the 8216;8216;O8217;Brien Glide8217;8217; because of the smooth move across the ring

THE RESULT

8226; The first time he tried it, months before the 1952 Helsinki Games, he gained two and a half feet. He won gold that year and started a spectacular streak: 116 consecutive meets without a loss. He broke the world record 13 times and his mark stood for 10 years

THE LEGACY

8226; Watch the shot put event at Athens and see all the throwers glide in the ring

8212; Sandeep Dwivedi

Source: Eureka: How Innovation Changes the Olympic Games by John Naber