Sometimes an athlete with special gifts achieves a goal ahead of their time. When Dani Samuels hurled the discus an incredible 65.44 metres in Berlin in August, the Sydney University student became the youngest world champion discus thrower. Her achievement was all the more remarkable because she reached that pinnacle at the tender age of 21 and in a sport where competitors often hit their peak in their late 20s or even 30s. Samuels, who finished ninth in last year’s Olympic final, was staring down the barrel of an early exit before proving her mettle in the German capital. Under extreme pressure, she unleashed a personal best throw of 64.76m. Visibly relaxed after her penultimate throw, the 1.82m, 82-kilogram athlete then threw 65.44m, catapulting her into first position. She had to endure a nail-biting wait as Cuban Yarelis Barrios and Romanian Nicoleta Grasu attempted to better her mark. They both stumbled. The likeable Sydneysider erupted, throwing her arms in the air and draping an Australian flag across her broad shoulders. Niall Seewang
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