Home » News and Media » News » 2009 » November » Vote now: Samuels in line for Sports Performer honours
05.11.2009
The 21-year-old Sydneysider joins a cast of 12 athletes vying for the headline award, nominated on the back of her stunning win in the discus throw at the IAAF world championships in August that capped a remarkable year in the sport.
Kicking off her 2009 campaign with wins over Olympic champion Stephanie Brown Trafton at both the Sydney Track Classic and World Athletics Tour Melbourne, Samuels went on to take out the shot put-discus double at the Australian championships in Brisbane in March, the third national shot put title and fifth national discus title of her career.
In July she won gold in the discus throw at the World University Games in Belgrade, Serbia, securing victory with a throw of 62.48m.
Later that month she claimed the scalp of reigning world champion Franka Dietzsch at the Zeulenroda meet in Germany, her first ever win over the German powerhouse.
But for all the early success she achieved in 2009, the crowning glory of Samuels’ year was without doubt the gold medal she claimed at the world track and field championships in Berlin in August.
On the biggest stage of all Samuels recorded a personal best throw of 65.44m to claim Australia’s first ever female world title in the field, bettering her previous career-best mark of 62.95m by a massive 2.49m to take out the world crown.
In securing the title Samuels became the youngest ever winner of the women's discus throw at a world championships, surpassing German Martina Opitz who claimed gold in 1983 at 22 years of age.
The result also launched the 2005 world youth and 2006 world junior champion to No. 3 on the Australian all-time list behind Daniela Costian (68.72m) and Lisa-Marie Vizaniari (65.86m).
Following a standout 12 months on the international circuit, Samuels said she was honoured to be nominated for the award alongside such elite company. Also in contention for the 2009 prize are reigning Brownlow medalist Gary Ablett (AFL), Craig Alexander (ironman/triathlon), Victor Darchinyan (boxing), Cadel Evans (cycling), Stephanie Gilmore (surfing), Jarryd Hayne (NRL), fellow athlete Steve Hooker, Mitchell Johnson (cricket), Emma Moffatt (triathlon), Jess Schipper (swimming) and Formula One gun Mark Webber.
“I think some of the things all of these amazing nominees have achieved is just phenomenal and I can’t believe I’m even in the same category as them,” Samuels told Fairfax Media.
And for Samuels this is just the beginning, the 21-year-old star already planning a lengthy career in the sport.
“I hope to have a very long career, until I’m at least around 35 or 36 and getting a bit faster and stronger each year and it’s pretty exciting to think (what I can achieve),” she said.
“Compared to the other girls in my event I’m not really that strong so it’s exciting to think what I can throw in 10 years’ time or five years’ time. I’m 21 and I won and I’m the youngest ever winner of the discus at a world championships and when it’s said like that you step back a bit and think, ‘oh hey, that’s alright’.”
But for now Samuels is just as happy to be a part of the changing face of women’s throws events worldwide, setting a new standard in her sport and changing the public image of the highly technical event.
“(As a discus thrower) you're fast and explosive and fit and if you see the men’s discus throwers they’re absolute units, and I think trying to getting rid of that stereotype is a really good first step in getting the public support and I think with field events in general Australia has a very good future,” Samuels said.
In 2009 Samuels and Hooker join pole vault guru Alex Parnov (Coach Performance of the Year), wheelchair athlete Kurt Fearnley (Performer of the Year with a Disability) and world youth championships high jump silver medallist Amy Pejkovic (Young Performer of the Year) in line for the honours.
Vote for Dani Samuels here and go into the draw to win $5000!
Voting for the 2009 Sports Performer Awards is open now until Friday, November 20. Winners will be announced at a gala presentation event on Wednesday, November 25.
News
Vote now: Samuels in line for Sports Performer honours
With voting now well under away for the 2009 Sports Performer Awards it's time for the Australian athletics community to throw its weight behind our track and field nominees, starting today with world discus champion Dani Samuels.The 21-year-old Sydneysider joins a cast of 12 athletes vying for the headline award, nominated on the back of her stunning win in the discus throw at the IAAF world championships in August that capped a remarkable year in the sport.
Kicking off her 2009 campaign with wins over Olympic champion Stephanie Brown Trafton at both the Sydney Track Classic and World Athletics Tour Melbourne, Samuels went on to take out the shot put-discus double at the Australian championships in Brisbane in March, the third national shot put title and fifth national discus title of her career.
In July she won gold in the discus throw at the World University Games in Belgrade, Serbia, securing victory with a throw of 62.48m.
Later that month she claimed the scalp of reigning world champion Franka Dietzsch at the Zeulenroda meet in Germany, her first ever win over the German powerhouse.
But for all the early success she achieved in 2009, the crowning glory of Samuels’ year was without doubt the gold medal she claimed at the world track and field championships in Berlin in August.
On the biggest stage of all Samuels recorded a personal best throw of 65.44m to claim Australia’s first ever female world title in the field, bettering her previous career-best mark of 62.95m by a massive 2.49m to take out the world crown.
In securing the title Samuels became the youngest ever winner of the women's discus throw at a world championships, surpassing German Martina Opitz who claimed gold in 1983 at 22 years of age.
The result also launched the 2005 world youth and 2006 world junior champion to No. 3 on the Australian all-time list behind Daniela Costian (68.72m) and Lisa-Marie Vizaniari (65.86m).
Following a standout 12 months on the international circuit, Samuels said she was honoured to be nominated for the award alongside such elite company. Also in contention for the 2009 prize are reigning Brownlow medalist Gary Ablett (AFL), Craig Alexander (ironman/triathlon), Victor Darchinyan (boxing), Cadel Evans (cycling), Stephanie Gilmore (surfing), Jarryd Hayne (NRL), fellow athlete Steve Hooker, Mitchell Johnson (cricket), Emma Moffatt (triathlon), Jess Schipper (swimming) and Formula One gun Mark Webber.
“I think some of the things all of these amazing nominees have achieved is just phenomenal and I can’t believe I’m even in the same category as them,” Samuels told Fairfax Media.
And for Samuels this is just the beginning, the 21-year-old star already planning a lengthy career in the sport.
“I hope to have a very long career, until I’m at least around 35 or 36 and getting a bit faster and stronger each year and it’s pretty exciting to think (what I can achieve),” she said.
“Compared to the other girls in my event I’m not really that strong so it’s exciting to think what I can throw in 10 years’ time or five years’ time. I’m 21 and I won and I’m the youngest ever winner of the discus at a world championships and when it’s said like that you step back a bit and think, ‘oh hey, that’s alright’.”
But for now Samuels is just as happy to be a part of the changing face of women’s throws events worldwide, setting a new standard in her sport and changing the public image of the highly technical event.
“(As a discus thrower) you're fast and explosive and fit and if you see the men’s discus throwers they’re absolute units, and I think trying to getting rid of that stereotype is a really good first step in getting the public support and I think with field events in general Australia has a very good future,” Samuels said.
In 2009 Samuels and Hooker join pole vault guru Alex Parnov (Coach Performance of the Year), wheelchair athlete Kurt Fearnley (Performer of the Year with a Disability) and world youth championships high jump silver medallist Amy Pejkovic (Young Performer of the Year) in line for the honours.
Vote for Dani Samuels here and go into the draw to win $5000!
Voting for the 2009 Sports Performer Awards is open now until Friday, November 20. Winners will be announced at a gala presentation event on Wednesday, November 25.
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