Stevens determined to throw without fear

Australian Dani Stevens learnt a valuable lesson from her fourth-placed finish in the discus at the Rio Olympics.

Dani Stevens.

Australia's Dani Stevens has stumbled on the secret she hopes will lead to a second world title. (AAP)

The big lesson that Dani Stevens took from her heartbreaking fourth-placed finish in the women's discus at the Rio Olympics was to throw without fear.

A few months after the competition - where she finished 44cm shy of what would have been a first Olympic medal - Stevens went back and reviewed the footage.

What she needed to know was as clear as day.

I was red in the face," she said after storming into the final at the world championships in London.

"You could see it on my face that I was throwing out of fear, not out of aggression or happiness and those things that work for me.

"I made it my mission this year not to throw out of fear of fouling or failing.

"We do it because we love it - we love a challenge and we choose to do this.

"That's something you have to keep remembering when you get to these big-pressure situations."

Stevens produced a huge first-up throw of 65.56m on Friday morning, more than three metres past the automatic qualifying mark.

It brought back memories of the 2009 world titles in Berlin, when the then 21-year-old also advanced from qualifying at the first attempt and went on to secure a surprise gold medal.

Standing in her way in the final on Sunday (early Monday AEST) will be Croatian powerhouse Sandra Perkovic, the winner of the past two Olympic titles.

Perkovic also managed a huge qualifying effort of 69.67m on Friday and is the short-priced title favourite, but Stevens showed that she too deserved to be rated a genuine contender.

"I wanted to come out and throw aggressively because that's what you do normally," said the Australian.

"A lot of people get caught up in the distance or the mark you have to reach in qualifying.

"I really wanted to come out and smash it."

Stevens was the third-best qualifier overall behind Perkovic and Cuban Yaime Perez (65.58m).

"If I can come out (in the final) and make a statement or get one out in the first round that would be great," said Stevens.

"But if not, you still have two more throws and it only takes one in a field event.

"Whether that bomb happens in the first, second or third round I need to make sure I make it to the last three rounds and then it is open slather."


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Source: AAP



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