2011 World Championships in Athletics – Women's discus throw

The women's discus throw event at the 2011 World Championships in Athletics was held at the Daegu Stadium on August 27 and 28.

Li Yanfeng celebrating in Daegu
Official Video

Dani Samuels was the defending champion, but had not performed well prior to the event. Germany's Nadine Müller was the leader in the Diamond League, but it was Chinese thrower Li Yanfeng who held the best mark that season (67.98 m). Stephanie Brown Trafton entered as the reigning Olympic champion, while 2009 World medallists Yarelis Barrios and Nicoleta Grasu were other prominent competitors.[1][2] Sandra Perković, the leading athlete earlier in the season, was absent due to a six-month ban for doping offences.[3]

Nadine Müller had the best mark in the qualifying rounds, with her sole throw of 65.54 m to make the final. Li Yanfeng and Yarelys Barrios were the next best throwers in the first round. Dani Samuels narrowly avoided elimination, while Aretha Thurmond was among those to miss the final.[4] In the final the following day, Li took the lead in the first round with a throw of 65.28 m and Müller followed her over the 65 m line into second place. Żaneta Glanc of Poland had an opening throw of 63.91 m, moving into third place. The top three remained unchanged after the second throw, although Li improved her lead to 66.52 m and Müller consolidated her second place with a mark of 65.97 m. Barrios of Cuba moved into third in the next round with her best mark of the competition (65.73 m) and defending champion Samuels was struck out in the final cut off. Brown Trafton threw her best (63.85 m) in round four, moving into fifth place, but the medal positions remained unchanged thereafter – Li won the gold medal, while Müller and Barrios took the silver and bronze medals, respectively.[5]

Although Li had won gold medals in Asian-level competitions, it was the 32-year-old's first medal of any colour on the world stage. She credited her success to her work with German coach Karl-Heinz Steinmetz and increased seasonal competition against foreign athletes.[6] Müller silver also represented her first medal at a global championships. For Barrios it was her fourth consecutive time on the major podium, having been runner-up at the two previous world championships and winner of the 2008 Olympic silver medal.

Medalists edit

Gold Silver Bronze
Li Yanfeng
  China (CHN)
Nadine Müller
  Germany (GER)
Yarelys Barrios
  Cuba (CUB)

Records edit

Prior to the competition, the established records were as follows.

World record   Gabriele Reinsch (GDR) 76.80 Neubrandenburg, East Germany 7 July 1988
Championship record   Martina Hellmann (GDR) 71.62 Rome, Italy 31 August 1987
World leading   Li Yanfeng (CHN) 67.98 Schönebeck, Germany 5 June 2011
African record   Elizna Naudé (RSA) 64.87 Stellenbosch, South Africa 2 March 2003
Asian record   Xiao Yanling (CHN) 71.68 Beijing, China 14 March 1992
North, Central American and Caribbean record   Hilda Ramos (CUB) 70.88 Havana, Cuba 8 May 1992
South American record   Elisângela Adriano (BRA) 62.00 São Caetano do Sul, Brazil 23 July 2011
European record   Gabriele Reinsch (GDR) 76.80 Neubrandenburg, East Germany 7 July 1988
Oceanian record   Daniela Costian (AUS) 68.72 Auckland, New Zealand 22 January 1994

Qualification standards edit

A standard B standard
62.00 m 59.50 m

Schedule edit

Date Time Round
August 27, 2011 10:05 Qualification
August 28, 2011 19:05 Final

Results edit

Qualification edit

Qualification: Qualifying Performance 62.00 (Q) or at least 12 best performers (q) advance to the final.

Rank Group Athlete Nationality #1 #2 #3 Result Notes
1 A Nadine Müller   Germany (GER) 65.54 65.54 Q
2 B Li Yanfeng   China (CHN) x 64.44 64.44 Q
3 A Yarelis Barrios   Cuba (CUB) 63.80 63.80 Q
4 B Żaneta Glanc   Poland (POL) 59.48 63.44 63.44 Q
5 A Tan Jian   China (CHN) 62.26 62.26 Q
6 B Stephanie Brown Trafton   United States (USA) 61.89 x 59.87 61.89 q
7 A Zinaida Sendriūtė   Lithuania (LTU) x 56.61 61.72 61.72 q
8 A Dragana Tomašević   Serbia (SRB) 60.45 x x 60.45 q
9 B Denia Caballero   Cuba (CUB) x 52.93 60.36 60.36 q
10 B Nicoleta Grasu   Romania (ROM) 60.13 58.25 59.58 60.13 q
11 A Dani Samuels   Australia (AUS) 59.77 60.05 59.98 60.05 q
12 A Darya Pishchalnikova   Russia (RUS) 54.11 59.94 59.53 59.94 q
13 B Aretha Thurmond   United States (USA) 59.88 x 59.48 59.88
14 A Ma Xuejun   China (CHN) 55.80 59.34 59.71 59.71
15 A Gia Lewis-Smallwood   United States (USA) x 56.91 59.49 59.49
16 A Natalya Fokina-Semenova   Ukraine (UKR) 56.73 55.16 58.27 58.27
17 B Monique Jansen   Netherlands (NED) 58.23 58.06 57.96 58.23
18 A Andressa de Morais   Brazil (BRA) x 44.41 57.93 57.93
19 B Kazai Suzanne Kragbé   Ivory Coast (CIV) 57.55 55.75 x 57.55
20 B Kateryna Karsak   Ukraine (UKR) 57.54 x 57.29 57.54
21 B Harwant Kaur   India (IND) 55.50 56.49 52.98 56.49
22 B Elisângela Adriano   Brazil (BRA) 56.28 53.70 56.45 56.45
23 A Věra Pospíšilová-Cechlová   Czech Republic (CZE) 53.87 51.52 x 53.87
24 B Karen Gallardo   Chile (CHI) 51.32 52.33 53.69 53.69

Final edit

Format: Each athlete has three attempts, then the eight best performers have three further attempts

 
Li Yanfeng celebrating her victory in Daegu
Rank Athlete Nationality #1 #2 #3 #4 #5 #6 Result Notes
  Li Yanfeng   China (CHN) 65.28 66.52 65.50 64.32 64.34 63.83 66.52
  Nadine Müller   Germany (GER) 65.06 65.97 64.08 62.55 x x 65.97
  Yarelys Barrios   Cuba (CUB) x 61.87 65.73 63.93 x 63.90 65.73 SB
4 Żaneta Glanc   Poland (POL) 63.91 62.30 63.11 62.69 62.17 60.32 63.91
5 Stephanie Brown Trafton   United States (USA) 60.20 60.97 60.24 63.85 60.26 x 63.85
6 Tan Jian   China (CHN) 60.46 61.44 61.79 62.96 x 61.12 62.96
7 Dragana Tomašević   Serbia (SRB) 62.26 58.97 62.48 x 59.03 58.63 62.48 SB
8 Nicoleta Grasu   Romania (ROM) 57.95 60.34 62.08 60.79 60.45 60.72 62.08
9 Denia Caballero   Cuba (CUB) 60.73 60.46 x 60.73
10 Dani Samuels   Australia (AUS) 58.08 59.14 x 59.14
11 Darya Pishchalnikova   Russia (RUS) 56.89 58.10 57.61 58.10
12 Zinaida Sendriūtė   Lithuania (LTU) x 57.30 53.53 57.30

References edit

  1. ^ Rowbottom, Mike (2011-08-19). Women’s Discus Throw - PREVIEW Archived 2012-05-09 at the Wayback Machine. IAAF. Retrieved on 2011-08-28.
  2. ^ Discus Throw 2011. IAAF (2011-08-27). Retrieved on 2011-08-28.
  3. ^ World Championships preview – women’s field events Archived 2012-06-16 at the Wayback Machine. Athletics Weekly (2011-08-25). Retrieved on 2011-08-28.
  4. ^ Rowbottom, Mike (2011-08-27). Women's Discus Throw - Qualification - Muller leads the round, Samuels squeaks through Archived 2012-05-15 at the Wayback Machine. IAAF. Retrieved on 2011-08-29.
  5. ^ Rowbottom, Mike (2011-08-28). Women's Discus Throw - Final - Li domintaes final to give China its first gold medal Archived 2012-05-15 at the Wayback Machine. IAAF. Retrieved on 2011-08-29.
  6. ^ Butcher, Michael (2011-08-28). Discus champion Li Yanfeng’s German Connection Archived 2011-10-30 at the Wayback Machine. IAAF. Retrieved on 2011-08-29.

External links edit