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.