The women's discus throw

Discus throw

The discus throw is an event in track and field athletics competition, in which an athlete throws a heavy disc—called a discus—in an attempt to mark a farther distance than his or her competitors. It is an ancient sport, as evidenced by the 5th century BC Myron statue, Discobolus...

at the 2009 World Championships in Athletics

2009 World Championships in Athletics

The 12th IAAF World Championships in Athletics were held in Berlin, Germany from 15–23 August 2009. The majority of events took place in the Olympiastadion, while the marathon and racewalking events started and finished at the Brandenburg Gate....

 was held at the Olympic Stadium on August 19 and August 21.

Reigning Olympic champion Stephanie Brown Trafton

Stephanie Brown Trafton

Stephanie Brown Trafton is an American track and field athlete who won the discus throwing gold medal at the 2008 Summer Olympics in Beijing. She was a somewhat unusual modern athlete in that she had become a two-time Olympian before she had competed at a World Championships...

 was the favourite for the gold. She had set a career best and had the four longest throws of any athlete that season, although she had not competed since late June. Franka Dietzsch

Franka Dietzsch

Franka Dietzsch is a German discus thrower best known for winning gold medals at three World Championships in Athletics...

 was another prominent performer: the 41-year-old was the defending champion and was making her 10th appearance of the tournament, but a weak season had underlined her waning powers. Cuba

Cuba at the 2009 World Championships in Athletics

Cuba will compete at the 2009 World Championships in Athletics from 15–23 August. A team of 35 athletes was announced in preparation for the competition. Selected athletes have achieved one of the competition's qualifying standards...

n Yarelis Barrios

Yarelis Barrios

Yarelys Barrios Castañeda is a female discus thrower from Cuba. Her personal best throw is 66.13 metres, achieved in July 2008.-Achievements:-References:*...

 looked set to build upon her World and Olympic silver medals from the last two years and Aimin Song had also performed well during the season. Veteran athletes Nicoleta Grasu

Nicoleta Grasu

Lenuţa Nicoleta Grasu is a Romanian discus thrower. She was born on 11 September 1971 in Secuieni as Nicoleta Grădinaru, but took a new surname when she married fellow discus thrower Costel Grasu....

 and Natalya Sadova

Natalya Sadova

Natalya Ivanovna Sadova , née Koptyukh is a Russian discus thrower who has competed in many Olympiads.She won the gold medal at the 2004 Summer Olympics held in Athens, Greece in 2004, as well as a silver medal at the 1996 Summer Olympics in Atlanta, Georgia, and placed fourth in 2000 Summer...

 were also favoured to be among the top performers of the competition.

Chinese

China at the 2009 World Championships in Athletics

China competes at the 2009 World Championships in Athletics from 15–23 August in Berlin.Half of China's 32-strong team will be making their debuts...

 athletes led the qualification rounds with Ma Xuejun

Ma Xuejun

Ma Xuejun is a Chinese discus thrower. Her personal best throw is 65.00 metres, first achieved in August 2006 in Shijiazhuang...

 and Song topping their respective groups. Newcomers Żaneta Glanc

Żaneta Glanc

Żaneta Glanc is a female discus thrower from Poland. Her personal best is 63.99 metres, achieved in August 2011 in Shenzhen....

 and Dani Samuels

Dani Samuels

Dani Samuels is an Australian discus thrower who in 2009 became the youngest ever female world champion in the event....

 rounded out the top four qualifiers. Dietzsch sole legal throw of the competition was not enough for qualification, leaving Nadine Müller

Nadine Müller (athlete)

Nadine Müller is a German discus thrower.She was born in Leipzig. As a teenager she won the silver medal at the 2003 European Junior Championships and the bronze medal at the 2004 World Junior Championships...

 as the only host competitor to make the final. Brown Trafton edged into the final, needed all three throws to take a best non-qualifier's position.

In the final, Grasu and Barrios quickly established themselves with marks of 65.20 m and 64.44 m, respectively, in the first two throws. Samuels, Glanc and Müller proved themselves on their third attempts, each throwing over 62 metres. Brown Trafton and Ma Xuejun both threw poorly and were among the four athletes eliminated after three throws. Personal bests of 64.76 and 65.44 m in the fourth and fifth round put Samuels in the lead. On the final throws, Song threw only enough to move up to fifth place, leader Grasu fouled but Barrios responded, although her mark of 65.31 m guaranteed her only second place.

Samuels was a surprise winner: at 19 years old, she was the youngest ever World discus champion, and she had progressed from Youth champion

IAAF World Youth Championships in Athletics

The IAAF World Youth Championships in Athletics is a global athletics event comprising track and field events for competitors who are 17 or younger . The event is organized by International Association of Athletics Federations . It is held biannually...

, to Junior

IAAF World Junior Championships in Athletics

The IAAF World Junior Championships in Athletics are the world championships for junior aged athletes athletes, organized by the International Association of Athletics Federations. It is held biennially since 1986.-Championships:-Men:-Women:-External links:* at...

 winner, to the senior title in just four years. Barrios had matched her silver medal achievement at the 2008 Summer Olympics

2008 Summer Olympics

The 2008 Summer Olympics, officially known as the Games of the XXIX Olympiad, was a major international multi-sport event that took place in Beijing, China, from August 8 to August 24, 2008. A total of 11,028 athletes from 204 National Olympic Committees competed in 28 sports and 302 events...

, and Grasu's bronze was her fourth medal in her career at the World Championships.

Medalists

Gold
Silver
Bronze

Records

World record		76.80	Neubrandenburg Neubrandenburg Neubrandenburg is a city in Mecklenburg-Vorpommern, Germany. It is located in the southeastern part of the state, on the shore of a lake called the Tollensesee .... , East Germany	7 July 1988
Championship record		71.62	Rome Rome Rome is the capital of Italy and the country's largest and most populated city and comune, with over 2.7 million residents in . The city is located in the central-western portion of the Italian Peninsula, on the Tiber River within the Lazio region of Italy.Rome's history spans two and a half... , Italy Italy Italy , officially the Italian Republic languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Italy's official name is as follows:;;;;;;;;), is a unitary parliamentary republic in South-Central Europe. To the north it borders France, Switzerland, Austria and...	31 August 1987
World leading		66.21	San Mateo San Mateo, California San Mateo is a city in San Mateo County, California, United States, in the San Francisco Bay Area. With a population of approximately 100,000 , it is one of the larger suburbs on the San Francisco Peninsula, located between Burlingame to the north, Foster City to the east, Belmont to the south,... , United States United States The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...	24 May 2009
African record		64.87	Stellenbosch, South Africa South Africa The Republic of South Africa is a country in southern Africa. Located at the southern tip of Africa, it is divided into nine provinces, with of coastline on the Atlantic and Indian oceans...	2 March 2003
Asian record		71.68	Beijing Beijing Beijing , also known as Peking , is the capital of the People's Republic of China and one of the most populous cities in the world, with a population of 19,612,368 as of 2010. The city is the country's political, cultural, and educational center, and home to the headquarters for most of China's... , China China Chinese civilization may refer to:* China for more general discussion of the country.* Chinese culture* Greater China, the transnational community of ethnic Chinese.* History of China* Sinosphere, the area historically affected by Chinese culture...	14 March 1992
North American record		70.88	Havana Havana Havana is the capital city, province, major port, and leading commercial centre of Cuba. The city proper has a population of 2.1 million inhabitants, and it spans a total of — making it the largest city in the Caribbean region, and the most populous... , Cuba Cuba The Republic of Cuba is an island nation in the Caribbean. The nation of Cuba consists of the main island of Cuba, the Isla de la Juventud, and several archipelagos. Havana is the largest city in Cuba and the country's capital. Santiago de Cuba is the second largest city...	8 May 1992
South American record		61.96	São Leopoldo São Leopoldo São Leopoldo is an important Brazilian industrial city located in the south state of Rio Grande do Sul. It occupies a total area of 103.9 km² at circa 30 km from the State Capital, Porto Alegre. Climate is sub-tropical, with temperatures varying from 2°C minimum at Winter to more than... , Brazil Brazil Brazil , officially the Federative Republic of Brazil , is the largest country in South America. It is the world's fifth largest country, both by geographical area and by population with over 192 million people...	21 May 1998
European record		76.80	Neubrandenburg, East Germany	7 July 1988
Oceanian record		68.72	Auckland Auckland The Auckland metropolitan area , in the North Island of New Zealand, is the largest and most populous urban area in the country with residents, percent of the country's population. Auckland also has the largest Polynesian population of any city in the world... , New Zealand New Zealand New Zealand is an island country in the south-western Pacific Ocean comprising two main landmasses and numerous smaller islands. The country is situated some east of Australia across the Tasman Sea, and roughly south of the Pacific island nations of New Caledonia, Fiji, and Tonga...	22 January 1994

Qualification standards

A standard	B standard
62.00 m	58.50 m

Schedule

Date	Time	Round
August 19, 2009	10:10	Qualification
August 21, 2009	20:20	Final

Qualification

Qualification: Qualifying Performance 61.50 (Q) or at least 12 best performers (q) advance to the final.

Rank	Group	Athlete	Nationality	#1	#2	#3	Result	Notes
	A	Ma Xuejun Ma Xuejun Ma Xuejun is a Chinese discus thrower. Her personal best throw is 65.00 metres, first achieved in August 2006 in Shijiazhuang...		63.38			63.38	Q, SB
	B	Song Aimin Song Aimin Song Aimin is a Chinese discus thrower.At the 2004 Summer Olympics she was eliminated in the first round of the discus throw competition.Her personal best throw is 65.33 metres, achieved in May 2003 in Shijiazhuang. The Chinese, and Asian, record is currently held by Xiao Yanling with 71.68...			62.80		62.80	Q
	B	Dani Samuels Dani Samuels Dani Samuels is an Australian discus thrower who in 2009 became the youngest ever female world champion in the event....		62.67			62.67	Q
	B	Żaneta Glanc Żaneta Glanc Żaneta Glanc is a female discus thrower from Poland. Her personal best is 63.99 metres, achieved in August 2011 in Shenzhen....		49.79	62.43		62.43	Q
	A	Yarelis Barrios Yarelis Barrios Yarelys Barrios Castañeda is a female discus thrower from Cuba. Her personal best throw is 66.13 metres, achieved in July 2008.-Achievements:-References:*...				62.19	62.19	Q
	A	Sandra Perkovic Sandra Perković Sandra Perković is a Croatian discus thrower. After a successful junior career, she won the discus throw gold medal at the 2010 European Championships, in her first year of senior competition...		61.02		62.16	62.16	Q
	B	Natalya Sadova Natalya Sadova Natalya Ivanovna Sadova , née Koptyukh is a Russian discus thrower who has competed in many Olympiads.She won the gold medal at the 2004 Summer Olympics held in Athens, Greece in 2004, as well as a silver medal at the 1996 Summer Olympics in Atlanta, Georgia, and placed fourth in 2000 Summer...		61.94			61.94	Q
	A	Nicoleta Grasu Nicoleta Grasu Lenuţa Nicoleta Grasu is a Romanian discus thrower. She was born on 11 September 1971 in Secuieni as Nicoleta Grădinaru, but took a new surname when she married fellow discus thrower Costel Grasu....		60.25	61.78		61.78	Q
	A	Nadine Müller Nadine Müller (athlete) Nadine Müller is a German discus thrower.She was born in Leipzig. As a teenager she won the silver medal at the 2003 European Junior Championships and the bronze medal at the 2004 World Junior Championships...		61.63			61.63	Q
10	B	Mélina Robert-Michon Mélina Robert-Michon Mélina Robert-Michon is a French discus thrower. Her personal best throw is 65.78 metres, achieved in July 2002 in Salon-de-Provence. Melina is now the mother a little Elyssa born on 24/08/10.-Achievements:-References:*...		58.36	61.53		61.53	Q
11	A	Stephanie Brown Trafton Stephanie Brown Trafton Stephanie Brown Trafton is an American track and field athlete who won the discus throwing gold medal at the 2008 Summer Olympics in Beijing. She was a somewhat unusual modern athlete in that she had become a two-time Olympian before she had competed at a World Championships...		60.15	57.44	61.23	61.23	q
12	B	Aretha Thurmond Aretha Thurmond Aretha Thurmond, née Hill is an American discus thrower, whose personal best distance is 65.86 metres, achieved in March 2004 in Marietta.-Achievements:-External links:...		60.09	59.09	61.08	61.08	q
13	B	Xu Shaoyang Xu Shaoyang Xu Shaoyang is a Chinese discus thrower. Her personal best is 63.29 metres, achieved in October 2008 in Shijiazhuang.She was born in Shandong. She was very successful as a teenager, as she won the gold medal at the 2000 World Junior Championships and the silver medal at the 2002 World Junior...		59.67	61.02	57.96	61.02	SB
14	B	Yarisley Collado Yarisley Collado Yarisley Collado is a female discus thrower from Cuba. Her personal best is 64.10 metres, achieved in May 2009 in Fortaleza....		59.56	59.23	60.37	60.37
15	B	Seema Antil Seema Antil Seema Antil is an Indian discus thrower. Her personal best throw is , achieved in August 2004 in Kiev.-Early life:Antil was born in a jat family in Sonipat, Haryana...		59.85			59.85	SB
16	A	Elizna Naudé Elizna Naudé Elizna Naudé is a South African discus thrower.Her personal best throw is 64.87 metres, achieved in March 2007 in Stellenbosch. She is a teacher at Vaalpark Primary School, Sasolburg, South Africa....		59.46	59.46	59.67	59.67	SB
17	A	Wioletta Potępa Wioletta Potepa Wioletta Potępa is a female discus thrower from Poland. Her personal best throw is 66.01 metres, achieved in May 2006 in Halle.-Achievements:-References:...			59.54		59.54
18	B	Věra Pospíšilová-Cechlová Vera Pospíšilová-Cechlová Věra Pospíšilová-Cechlová is a Czech athlete, competing in the discus throw and the shot put. She married Czech professional wrestler Jakub Cechl on 17 October 2003....		57.87	58.37	59.52	59.52
19	A	Dragana Tomašević Dragana Tomaševic Dragana Tomašević is a Serbian discus thrower.Her personal best throw is 63.63 metres, achieved in August 2006 in Gothenburg.-Achievements:-References:...		58.32	59.30	59.38	59.38
20	A	Svetlana Ivanova-Saykina		59.31		58.45	59.31
21	B	Joanna Wiśniewska Joanna Wisniewska Joanna Wiśniewska is a female discus thrower from Poland. Her personal best throw is 63.97 metres, achieved at the 1999 Summer Universiade in Palma. She competed at the 2004 and Athletics at the 2008 Summer Olympics....			58.85		58.85
22	A	Becky Breisch Becky Breisch Becky Breisch is an American track and field athlete who competes in the discus throw. She has represented the United States in the event at three consecutive World Championships in Athletics from 2005 to 2009...		58.50		58.08	58.50
23	B	Franka Dietzsch Franka Dietzsch Franka Dietzsch is a German discus thrower best known for winning gold medals at three World Championships in Athletics...				58.44	58.44
24	B	Vera Begić Vera Begic Vera Begić is Croatian athlete specialized in discus throwing discipline. Since Vera's mother Jadranka Antunović also was a successful athlete and member of the national team in the former Yugoslavia , Vera has been connected to athletics from the early childhood...		54.63		58.25	58.25
25	A	Yania Ferrales Yania Ferrales Yania Ferrales Monteagudo is a Cuban discus thrower. Her personal best throw is 66.00 metres, achieved in February 2006 in Havana.-Achievements:-References:...		57.71	55.84	58.24	58.24
26	B	Anna Söderberg Anna Söderberg Anna Söderberg is a female discus thrower from Sweden. Her personal best throw of 64.54 metres, achieved in July 1999 in Aremark, is the Swedish record for the event. She has represented her country at the Olympic Games on three occasions – in 2000, 2004 and 2008...		56.38	57.92		57.92
27	A	Kateryna Karsak Kateryna Karsak Kateryna Karsak is a female discus thrower from Ukraine.She finished 4th in the discus final at the 2006 European Athletics Championships in Gothenburg with a throw of 62.45m....		56.79			56.79
28	A	Krishna Poonia Krishna Poonia Krishna Poonia, is a national woman discus throw champion of India. She led an Indian clean sweep in the women's discus final on 11th October 2010, winning the Delhi Commonwealth Games gold medal with a throw of 61.51 metres.-Early life:...				56.75	56.75
29	A	Elisângela Adriano Elisângela Adriano Elisângela Maria Adriano is a Brazilian shot putter and discus thrower, whose personal best put is 19.30 metres, achieved in July 2001 in Tunja. Her personal best discus throw is 61.96 metres, achieved in May 1998 in São Leopoldo. In 1999 she was suspended by the IAAF for a two-year period, but...		54.99	52.00	55.75	55.75
30	B	Rocío Comba Rocío Comba Rocío Comba is an Argentine discus thrower.She was born in Cordoba. As a teenager she competed in the shot put, and finished tenth at the 2003 World Youth Championships and eighth at the 2006 World Junior Championships...		52.62	54.69		54.69
31	B	Zinaida Sendriute Zinaida Sendriūtė Zinaida Sendriūtė is a Lithuanian discus thrower. Her personal best is 62.00 metres, achieved in June 2011 in Bydgoszcz....		52.85	54.55		54.55
32	A	Sofia Larsson		51.87		54.28	54.28
33	A	Olena Antonova Olena Antonova Olena Anatolyevna Antonova is a Ukrainian discus thrower. Her personal best throw is 67.30 metres, achieved in June 2004 in Kiev. She won the bronze medal in Women's discus throw at the 2008 Summer Olympics in Beijing.-Achievements:-References:...			54.28		54.28
34	B	Li Wen-Hua		53.88	49.91	52.49	53.88
35	B	Kazai Suzanne Kragbé		52.24	53.84	52.79	53.84	NR Ivorian records in athletics The following are the national records in athletics in Côte d'Ivoire maintained by its national athletics federation: Fédération Ivoirienne d'Athlétisme .-Men:-Women:-Men:-Women:-External links:...
36	A	Venera Getova Venera Getova Venera Getova is a female discus thrower from Bulgaria. Her personal best is 59.08 metres, achieved in June 2008 in Sofia.She competed at the 2008 Olympic Games at the 2009 World Championships without reaching the final.-References:*...		53.33			53.33
37	B	Tereapii Tapoki			45.29		45.29	SB

} || A ||align=left| Ellina Zvereva

Ellina Zvereva

Ellina Zvereva is a Belarusian discus thrower best known for winning the gold medal at the 2000 Summer Olympics. She became world champion in 1995, and again in 2001 after the disqualification of Natalya Sadova....

 ||align=left| || || || || ||
|-
| || B ||align=left| Iryna Yatchenko ||align=left| || || || || ||
|-
| || B ||align=left| Natalya Fokina-Semenova

Natalya Fokina-Semenova

Natalya Fokina-Semenova is a Ukrainian discus thrower.Her personal best throw is 63.11 metres, achieved at the 2003 Summer Universiade in Daegu.-Achievements:-References:...

 ||align=left| || || || || || DNS
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Final

Rank	Athlete	Nationality	#1	#2	#3	#4	#5	#6	Result	Notes
	Dani Samuels Dani Samuels Dani Samuels is an Australian discus thrower who in 2009 became the youngest ever female world champion in the event....			59.05	62.71	64.76	65.44		65.44	PB
	Yarelis Barrios Yarelis Barrios Yarelys Barrios Castañeda is a female discus thrower from Cuba. Her personal best throw is 66.13 metres, achieved in July 2008.-Achievements:-References:*...		64.44	63.87	61.17			65.31	65.31	SB
	Nicoleta Grasu Nicoleta Grasu Lenuţa Nicoleta Grasu is a Romanian discus thrower. She was born on 11 September 1971 in Secuieni as Nicoleta Grădinaru, but took a new surname when she married fellow discus thrower Costel Grasu....			65.20	62.38	60.68	63.41		65.20	SB
	Zaneta Glanc Żaneta Glanc Żaneta Glanc is a female discus thrower from Poland. Her personal best is 63.99 metres, achieved in August 2011 in Shenzhen....		58.69	59.83	62.66		57.71		62.66
	Song Aimin Song Aimin Song Aimin is a Chinese discus thrower.At the 2004 Summer Olympics she was eliminated in the first round of the discus throw competition.Her personal best throw is 65.33 metres, achieved in May 2003 in Shijiazhuang. The Chinese, and Asian, record is currently held by Xiao Yanling with 71.68...		51.69	60.50	61.78		61.39	62.42	62.42
	Nadine Müller Nadine Müller (athlete) Nadine Müller is a German discus thrower.She was born in Leipzig. As a teenager she won the silver medal at the 2003 European Junior Championships and the bronze medal at the 2004 World Junior Championships...		57.53	57.62	62.04	60.40			62.04
	Natalya Sadova Natalya Sadova Natalya Ivanovna Sadova , née Koptyukh is a Russian discus thrower who has competed in many Olympiads.She won the gold medal at the 2004 Summer Olympics held in Athens, Greece in 2004, as well as a silver medal at the 1996 Summer Olympics in Atlanta, Georgia, and placed fourth in 2000 Summer...		60.70	61.78	59.31	60.44	58.26	61.44	61.78
	Mélina Robert-Michon Mélina Robert-Michon Mélina Robert-Michon is a French discus thrower. Her personal best throw is 65.78 metres, achieved in July 2002 in Salon-de-Provence. Melina is now the mother a little Elyssa born on 24/08/10.-Achievements:-References:*...		59.80	60.92	60.89		59.90	59.69	60.92
	Sandra Perkovic Sandra Perković Sandra Perković is a Croatian discus thrower. After a successful junior career, she won the discus throw gold medal at the 2010 European Championships, in her first year of senior competition...			60.77					60.77
10	Aretha Thurmond Aretha Thurmond Aretha Thurmond, née Hill is an American discus thrower, whose personal best distance is 65.86 metres, achieved in March 2004 in Marietta.-Achievements:-External links:...			59.89	59.88				59.89
11	Ma Xuejun Ma Xuejun Ma Xuejun is a Chinese discus thrower. Her personal best throw is 65.00 metres, first achieved in August 2006 in Shijiazhuang...		58.79		58.58				58.79
12	Stephanie Brown Trafton Stephanie Brown Trafton Stephanie Brown Trafton is an American track and field athlete who won the discus throwing gold medal at the 2008 Summer Olympics in Beijing. She was a somewhat unusual modern athlete in that she had become a two-time Olympian before she had competed at a World Championships...		58.53		57.94				58.53