Stephanie Brown-Trafton picks the right time to shine

As Liu Xiang and Tyson Gay can tell you, peaking at the right time is essential at the Olympics. U.S. discus thrower Stephanie Brown-Trafton has clearly mastered that skill. After placing third at the Olympic trials, and never finishing higher than fourth at an international competition, she won gold in Beijing on her very first throw with a distance of 64.74 meters (212.4 feet). After that throw, she sat and watched several top competitors throw, but not come anywhere near her distance. Brown-Trafton, who dreamed of being like Mary-Lou Retton, now shares an important accessory with her idol: a gold medal.

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