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)
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

INTERNATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIPS:
World Youth Championships: 2003 - shot put qual 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)
World Championships: 2007 - discus qual round (60.44m)

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

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

EVENTS / PERSONAL BESTS:
Shot put: 16.30m - Sydney, 16/02/08
Discus throw: 62.95m - Brisbane, 1/03/08

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

At the age of just 14, Dani was selected for the shot at the 2003 World Youth Championships after also qualifying for the discus. After a low key 2003-04, she began to make her mark the following season, winning the shot/discus double at the Commonwealth Youth Games in Bendigo.

In March 2005 she was selected for her second World Youths, where she responded brilliantly to the challenge of international competition - taking gold in the discus and bronze in the shot and becoming the first Australian woman to win a world discus title at any age level.

In November, she set a National Under 18 discus record of 58.52m in Brisbane, more than four metres further than she had thrown to win the world title.

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.

That capacity to deliver on the big occasion was again exemplified with a gold medal-winning performance at the World Junior Championships in Beijing, again with a personal best throw that broke the 60m barrier for the first time.

The effort earned her the Oceania team spot in the discus for the World Cup in Athens in which, again unfazed by the moment, she finished a very creditable sixth in a strong field, throwing just short of her best at 59.68m.

Dani again threw over 60 metres to take the National title in March, having earlier set a new under-20 shot mark in winning the under-20 nationals in Hobart a month earlier.

The World University Games in Bangkok, Thailand provided a valuable lead-in to Dani’s first World Championships in Osaka. She threw a season’s best of 60.47m in Bangkok, claiming a silver medal that confirmed she was nearing personal best form.

Dani was always going to have her work cut out for her in Osaka, throwing against bigger, stronger women. However, she performed admirably with a third 60m-plus throw for the year and had the best result outside of the qualifiers; pipped for a place in the final in the last round.

Dani’s outstanding development continued with an organised visit from the USA by 1976 Olympic champion Mac Wilkins in October 2007, which only added to her confidence. 

Season 2007/2008 saw Dani continue her meteoric rise, a third placing in the Sydney Grand Prix shot put, with a PB 16.30m against world champion Valerie Vili (NZL) and seasoned campaigner Kristin Heaston (USA) showed Dani's versatility and consistent improvement.

At the Melbourne Grand Prix Dani turned her attention to her more favoured discus throw and with a quality line up of international competitors threw a PB 61.92m to finish second behind Aimin Song (CHN). It was Dani's second A qualifier and she was well on her way to making the Beijing team.

Dani threw another PB with her first throw at the National Championships (62.95m) to secure her fourth consecutive title and a ticket to Beijing for her Olympic debut.

Family connections
Dani’s sister Jamie plays basketball for the Sydney Flames in the WNBL. Her coach’s son, Hayden Knowles, is the strength and conditioning coach for Parramatta Eels who play in the National Rugby League competition.