Sportlight

Iyanna Moreno a natural at shot put

By Bond Brungard
Posted 6/5/19

Newburgh Free Academy’s Iyanna Moreno, a freshman, is a thrower on the track and field team.

Moreno started throwing on the indoor team over the winter to get ready for the spring …

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Sportlight

Iyanna Moreno a natural at shot put

Posted

Newburgh Free Academy’s Iyanna Moreno, a freshman, is a thrower on the track and field team.

Moreno started throwing on the indoor team over the winter to get ready for the spring season.

“I was doing it to get in shape for softball,” she said, “but I kind of fell in love with this sport.”

Moreno did not play softball this spring as originally planned. She stayed on the track team, and she finished fourth in the shot put and 24th in the discus during the Section 9, Class A championships a few weeks ago in Middletown.

She returned to Middletown Friday for the state qualifier and finished 14th in the shot put.

“I am more naturally good at shot put than I am at discus,” she said.

Moreno has been throwing for about six months, but the freshman has learned enough about her craft to know where her strengths are and how to make the technical adjustments for the longest possible throw.

“I think throwing is very technical,” she said.

And for Moreno, it comes down to the best combination of speed, balance and pivoting, and she knows most of the power for the shot put comes from the legs.

“So for my form, which is glide, when you kick back and you are going into your power position, you want to pivot your hips outside, she said. “Because if you are turning, you are not exploding.”

After two seasons of throwing, one indoor and outdoor, Moreno has the technical understanding of what she needs to do. And she now needs to employ the mental fortitude to be successful.

“I will always be hard on myself,” she said, “because I know I can be better.”