Discus throwers have to be very tall with men often 6ft, 6", and women certainly over 6ft. Very long arms help, too, as these widen the radius of the circle that the athlete makes with the discus, aiding its flight.
The technique
The discus is shaped like a flying saucer. It is important that it is delivered in a “flat” position to enhance any aerodynamic qualities it possesses. Throwing it head-on into the wind helps keep it in the air and gives it extra momentum to fly further. The discus is thrown from a slightly larger circle than that of the shot put, and as with all 4 throwing events it needs to land in a marked sector to count as a valid throw.
The discus is thrown from a circle with a diameter of 2.5m. All discus throws are made inside an enclosure to ensure spectators' safety.
Statistics
The men's world record-holder is Jürgen Schult (GER), with 74.08m in 1986.
The women's world record-holder is Gabriele Reinsch (GER), with 76.80m in 1988.