Stephanie Brown-Trafton celebrates her Olympic discus victory (© Getty Images)
The most unexpected result of the Athletics programme so far, saw USA’s Stephanie Brown-Trafton take the Olympic crown with a first round 64.74m, the first American victory in the women’s Discus Throw since 1932. The last US medal at the Olympics being the silver in the Soviet block boycotted Olympics of 1984, which went to Leslie Deniz.
There will be much rejoicing in Team USA at this result which on Day 4 brings the world’s super power of athletics its first gold medal of these Olympic Games.
The 29-year-old third string US squad member came out of nowhere to win this title, having an international championships career record which before her entry in Beijing, began and ended with her non-qualification performance at the Athens Olympics.
Brown-Trafton who hails from California and works in Information Technology is a blank canvas in terms of her profile as an international athlete. As marvellous as her victory is, and we take nothing away from it, the competition was the lowest standard Olympic final since 1968 which was won with 58.28m.
But this was more than just statistically low it was lack lustre as a real competition, as a spectacle. Nothing wrong in that of course, if the winner is truly dominant but Brown-Trafton’s series only had the one high, her opening heave. With three fouls and two other valid marks of only 58.39 (4th) and 61.30 (5th), this was not a results sheet likely to filed for posterity by many.
Yet there is no taking away the fact that Brown-Trafton had done everything right since arriving in Beijing, as she was also the best overall qualifier on Friday, 62.77m, and so richly deserves her Olympic title.
Cuba’s Yarelis Barrios, the World bronze medallist, put together the best series of the night – topped out by 63.84 in the second round, with another three efforts of 62.12m or better.
If there was animation in this event then it was when Olena Antonoiva of Ukraine in the fifth round passed Aimin Song for bronze, her 62.59m surpassing the Chinese’s 62.17m, and suppressing the crowd’s till then enthusiastic interest in the final. While Song improved her best by three centimetres in round five, ultimately the medals had been decided.
Note should be made that in sixth place finished 47-year-old 2000 Olympic champion Ellina Zvereva of Belarus, who when taking her title in Sydney aged 39 was the oldest ever Olympic champion at this event.
Chris Turner for the IAAF
