Student-Athletes shine on the World Stage

At the recently held 2009 IAAF World Championships in Berlin, Germany, a number of 2009 Summer Universiade medallists remounted the medal podium for the highest honors in their sport.

Especially University of Western Sydney student Dani Samuels who threw a personal best of 65.44 metres in women’s discus to win the IAAF gold.

Dani Samuels with her coach Dennis KnowlesSamuels beat her previous personal best by over two and a half metres in an astonishing display at Berlin’s Olympic stadium. In doing so, Samuels became the only 21-year old to ever win a medal at the event and just the sixth world champion in Australian athletics history. Samuels already has a junior world title, a youth world title, a Universiade gold medal and five national championships to her name. She now has her sights firmly set on London in 2012. Coach Denis Knowles knew from his vantage point in the stands that Samuel’s final throw was a good one. ‘I expected Dani to have a good championship before we left home’, he said. ‘She’s been very consistent at 62 metres but there’s always been something bigger waiting to happen. Fortunately it came in the right competition.’

Australian university students also bought home a medal in the track with the men’s 4 x 400 metres relay team securing bronze overnight. Tristan Thomas (University of Canberra) and Sean Wroe (Swinburne University) were joined by team mates John Steffensen and Ben Offereins to take bronze in a time of 3:00.90.

Olympic and Universiade Triple Jump Champion Nelson Évora (POR) jumped silver in Berlin, failing to extend his World title.

 

Nelson Évora jumps to the gold

 

 

Ariane Friedrich shows her Universiade Gold in BelgradeIn women’s hammer throwing the full Belgrade medal podium replayed the Universiade competition ending with the same ranking all be it they moved one spot down as Polish Anita Wlodarczyk won the IAAF gold. Betty Heidler (GER), Martina Hrasnová (SVK) and Kathrin Klaas (GER) settled for silver, bronze and 4th place respectively whereas in Belgrade they won gold, silver and bronze. Nevertheless they all improved their throws (Heidler: 75.83/77.12; Hrasnová: 72.85/74.79 & Klaas: 70.97/74.23). Klaas throw her personal best in Berlin, whereas Heidler, who broke the Universiade Record in Belgrade set a new national record with her best throw.

Universiade High Jump Champion Ariane Friedrich settled for the bronze in Berlin.

These results once again show that the Universiade competitions are of a high caliber.

 

 

 

 

Below a list of 2009 SU participants and medallists performing at the 2009 IAAF Worlds in Berlin. Please note that this list is not complete.

 

WOMEN

DISCUS

Dani Samuels (AUS) – Gold (2009 SU – Gold)

JAVELIN

Vira Rebryk (UKR) – 9th (2009 SU – Silver)

20km WALK

Masumi Fuchise (JPN) – 7th (2009 SU – Silver)

Valentina Trapletti (ITA) – 17th (2009 SU – 6th)

Evaggelía Xinoú (GRE) – 21st (2009 SU – 4th)

Agnieszka Dygacz (POL) – 28th (2009 SU – 11th)

Alessandra Picagevicz (BRA) – 29th (2009 SU – 13th)

Johana Ordóñez (ECU) – 33rd (2009 SU – 15th)

Rachel Lavallée (CAN) – 35th (2009 SU – 8th)

SHOT PUT

Mailín Vargas (CUB) – 9th (2009 SU – Gold)

5000m

Sara Moreira (POR) – 10th (2009 SU – Gold)

HIGH JUMP

Ariane Friedrich (GER) – Bronze (2009 SU –Gold)

HAMMER THROW

Betty Heidler (GER) – Silver (2009 SU – Gold)

Martina Hrasnová (SVK) – Bronze (2009 SU – Silver)

Kathrin Klaas (GER) – 4th (2009 SU – Bronze)

 

MEN

20km WALK

Jean-Jaques Nkouloukidi (ITA) – 21st (2009 SU – 9th)

Chil-sung Park (KOR) – 25th (2009 SU – 10th)

Isamu Fujisawa (JPN) – 30th (2009 SU – 6th)

Ruslan Dmytrenko (UKR) – 33rd (2009 SU – 7th)

Hyunsub Kim (KOR) – 34th (2009 SU – 5th)

Jakub Jelonek (POL) – 38th (2009 SU – 16th)

Andrés Chocho (ECU) – 39th (2009 SU – 12th)

Yusuke Suzuki (JPN) – 42nd (2009 SU – 13th)

Moacir Zimmermann (BRA) – DQ (2009 SU – Bronze)

TRIPLE JUMP

Nelson Évora (POR) – Silver (2009 SU – Gold)

JAVELIN

Ainars Kovals (LAT) – 7th (2009 SU – Gold)

4x400m RELAY

Sean Wroe (AUS) – Bronze (2009 SU – Gold)

Tristan Thomas (AUS) – Bronze (2009 SU – Gold)

Antoine Gillet (BEL) – 4th (2009 SU -4th)

Nils Duerinck (BEL) – 4th (2009 SU -4th)