Former Cal Poly women’s discus thrower Stephanie Brown Trafton heaved the best mark in the event’s qualifying round on Friday at the Summer Olympic Games in Beijing.
With her final throw, at 205 feet, 11 1/4 inches, she skyrocketed from 16th place to the No. 1 spot heading into Monday’s final.
Belarus’ Iryna Yatchenko was second Friday at 204-3, followed closely by Cuba’s Yarelys Barrios at 204-2.
At the 2004 Summer Olympics in Athens, Brown Trafton failed to advance to the final round by posting a mark of 192-1 to finish 11th in the first of two prelims groups.
Brown Trafton, who graduated from Cal Poly in 2004, boasts a personal best of 217-1, uncorked May 8 at the Hartnell Throwers Meet in Salinas.
Here is a KCRA TV interview conducted with Brown Trafton just before she left for Beijing: