Further Information
Competition Stats
AUSTRALIAN
CHAMPIONSHIPS:
Shot put: 2001 (U14) - 1st, 2002 (U16) - 3rd, 2002
(U18) - 1st, 2003 (U18) - 1st, 2005 - 4th (2nd Australian), (U20) -
1st, 2006 - 2nd (1st Australian), 2007 - 2nd (1st Australian), 2009
- 3rd (1st Australian)
Discus: 2001 (U14) - 1st, 2002 (U16) - 3rd, 2002
(U18) - 3rd, 2003 (U18) - 3rd, 2004 (U20) - 6th, 2005 - 2nd (1st
Australian), (U20) - 1st, 2006 - 2nd (1st Australian), 2007 - 1st,
2008 - 1st, 2009 - 1st
INTERNATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIPS:
World youth championships: 2003 - shot put
qualifying round (11.59m), 2005 - discus 1st (54.09m), shot put 3rd
(15.53m)
Commonwealth Youth Games: 2004 - shot put 1st
(15.50m), discus 1st (49.92m)
Commonwealth Games: 2006 - shot put 12th (14.91m), discus
3rd (59.44m)
World junior championships: 2006 - shot put 7th (15.71m),
discus 1st (60.63m)
World Cup: 2006 - discus 6th (59.68m)
World University Games: 2007 - discus 2nd
(60.47m), 2009 - discus 1st (62.48m)
World championships: 2007 - discus qualifying
round (60.44m), 2009 - discus 1st (65.44m)
Olympic Games: 2008 – discus 9th
(60.15m)
ANNUAL PROGRESSION:
Shot put:
2001 11.95m
2002 13.93m
2003 13.83m
2004 15.50m
2005 15.53m
2006 15.98m
2007 16.19m
2008 16.30m
2009 16.30m
Discus throw:
2001 39.17m
2002 46.49m
2003 47.29m
2004 52.21m
2005 58.52m
2006 60.63m
2007 60.47m
2008 62.95m
2009 62.89m
EVENTS / PERSONAL BESTS:
Shot put: 16.30m - Sydney, 16/02/08
Discus throw: 65.84m - Sydney, 27/02/09
RECORD(S):
National Under 20 record - shot put: 16.30m -
Sydney, 16/02/08
National Under 20 record - discus: 61.92m -
Melbourne, 21/02/08
National Under 18 record - discus: 58.52m -
Brisbane, 26/11/05
National Under 18 record - discus: 55.94m - Gold
Coast, 5/07/05
National Under 18 record - discus: 55.78m -
Sydney, 5/03/05
Interesting Facts
Dani started Little Athletics at a young age and has played
basketball at a national level. The Sport Australia Hall of Fame
awarded a Spirit of Sport Scholarship to her in 2006.
Sporting Career
2003 – At the age of 14, Dani was selected for the shot put at the
2003 world youth championships after also qualifying for the
discus.
2004–2005 – Won the shot/discus double at the Commonwealth Youth
Games in Bendigo. In 2005 at her second world youths, she won gold
in the discus and bronze in the shot, becoming the first Australian
woman to win a world discus title at any age level. In November she
set a national U18 discus record of 58.52m in Brisbane, more than
four metres further than she had thrown to win the world
title.
2006 – A shot put personal best came at the nationals, where Dani
earned Commonwealth selection in both her specialties. At the
Games, in her first senior international appearance, she surprised
by winning bronze in the discus with a PB of 59.44m. Dani won the
world junior title in Beijing, breaking the 60m barrier for the
first time. At the World Cup in Athens she finished a creditable
sixth in a strong field.
2007 – Dani again threw over 60 metres to take the national title,
having earlier set a new U20 shot mark in winning the U20
nationals. At the World University Games in Bangkok she threw a
season’s best of 60.47m, claiming a silver medal. At her world
championships debut in Osaka she produced a third 60m-plus throw
for the year but was pipped for a place in the final in the last
round.
2008 – A visit from the USA by 1976 Olympic champion Mac Wilkins in
late 2007 helped Dani continue her rise. A third placing in the
Sydney Grand Prix shot put with a personal best of 16.30m against
world champion Valerie Vili (NZL) preceded a PB 61.92m for second
at the Melbourne Grand Prix. Another PB with her first throw at the
national championships (62.95m) secured her fourth consecutive
title and a ticket to Beijing for her Olympic debut. After
qualifying for the final as both the youngest in the field and the
youngest member of the Australian track and field team, Dani
entered Round 3 in 11th place, her heave of 60.15m momentarily
sendong her into eighth, however Aimin Song (CHN) knocked her out
of the competition – one place out of the final eight.
2009 – Dani’s 2009 campaign got off to a red-hot start, the New
South Wales athlete posting wins over Olympic champion Stephanie
Brown Trafton in Sydney and Melbourne before taking out the
shot-discus double at the national championships in Brisbane in
March. In July she won gold in the discus throw at the World
university Games in Belgrade, Serbia, stitching up victory with a
throw of 62.48m. undefeated across six competitions in 2009, Dani
claimed a stunning victory over reigning world discus champion
Franka Dietzsch at the Zeulenroda meet in Germany in late July,
recording a distance of 62.25m to notch her first win over her
German rival. Days later at the usti nad Laben Grand Prix in the
Czech Republic she threw a season’s best 62.89m to finish second in
the event, the distance just six centimetres short of her lifetime
best.
2010 - In February Dani set a new personal best of 65.84m to take
out the Sydney Track Classic.
FAMILY CONNECTIONS:
Dani’s sister Jamie played basketball for the Sydney Flames in the
WNBL.