Having worked with a number of World Class athletes in both Shot and Discus, the throws programme at IFAC 2013 is shaping up to be very exciting. In addition, Martin Bingisser, Mick Jones and Vern Gambetta are adding to the throws programme for club, development and performance coaches.

With a coaching career which includes 20 medals at major championships, including Olympic and World Championships, Vésteinn Hafsteinsson is a key addition to IFAC 2013. Having coached Gerd Kanter to medals at Olympic Games and World Championships, the practical throws workshop at IFAC will be truly world class. Kanter won the Olympic discus title at the Beijing Games in 2008, and the Estonian hold the national record at a mark of 73.38m – the third best in history with only Jürgen Schult (74.08 m, 1986) and Virgilijus Alekna (73.88 m, 2000) having thrown further.

The current crop of global throwing includes 2011 World Universiade Champion, Märt Israel. Currently based in Sweden, a number of Scandinavian throwers work with Vésteinn including Danish Shot Putter Kim Christensen, as well as Swedish athletes Niklas Arrhenius and Leif Arrhenius.

Practical coaching clinics on Discus and Shot Put will be held at the Emirates Arena as part of the 2013 IFAC programme on Saturday 26 October, and will be followed up with a session on the long term development perspectives of throwers at the Marriott Hotel on Sunday 27 October.

You can book your place at the International Festival of Athletics Coaching, by clicking here.