Chinese Li, German Muller to challenge Samuels in women's discus throw - Xinhua

DAEGU, South Korea, Aug. 28 (Xinhua) -- Australia's Dani Samuels is set to face challenges in her bid for a second consecutive world title as Chinese veteran Li Yanfeng and Germany's Nadine Muller both showed good form in the qualifying round of the women's discus throw at the World Championships.

Samuels produced one of the shock results of the last World Championships as the 21-year-old Australian improved her personal best by 2.5 meters to snatch the gold with 65.44 meters against a field which included Cuba's Olympic silver medallist Yarelis Barrios and Romania's 37-year-old three-times world medallist Nicoleta Grasu, respectively silver and bronze medallists.

Two years on, Samuels is preparing to defend her title having had a relatively moderate time in competition this season. By way of an indication, the Australian is only sixth in the Diamond League's Race for her event, in which Muller leads by just one point from Barrios.

The 25-year-old German also finished the qualification on top with 65.54m, 10 centimeters farer than Samuels's winning result in Berlin, followed by Li with 64.44m.

However, it is Li that leads the world lists with her effort of 67.98m achieved in Schonebeck on June 5. The mark also made her the leading competitor here in the entry list while Muller is the second with 67.78m.

The 32-year-old, who won the Asian Games title last year with a season's best of 66.18m, has demonstrated both her ability and her competitiveness and will be a strong contender of the world title while the defending champion seems to be much weeker in both season best (62.33m) and her qualifying mark (60.05m).

The last Diamond League women's discus event, at Monaco on July 22, saw Muller lay down a marker of her ambition as she won with 65.90m, close to her season's best of 66.05m, pushing Barrios, who managed a season best of 65.44m, into second place, with Stephanie Brown Trafton taking third place on 62.07m.

Barrios was qualified for the final on Sunday night on the third with 63.80m, followed by Zaneta Glanc from Poland.

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