Dani relishing home bid

Relocated and refocused Stevens set to be a local Games hero

Stevens says success in a home Commonwealth Games will mean as much as any of the stellar performances throughout her successful career.

The Games have suddenly become much more of a “home” event for Stevens, who last week moved to Tweed Heads with her orthopaedic surgeon husband two years after his posting at the Gold Coast University Hospital ended. A surprise world champion in 2009 at the age of 21, Stevens again climbed on to the podium at last year’s world championships, taking silver with a throw that left her an agonising 36cm short of becoming the first Aussie women to crack 70m.

While Sally Pearson’s miraculous comeback claimed headlines, Stevens feats were no less heroic after she battled the peaks and troughs of international competition.

But after a fourth at the Rio Olympics followed by last year’s world championship result, Stevens is confident she enters this weekend’s Games trials at Carrara Stadium in some of the best form of her career.

Stevens set herself a goal of throwing 72m when she was just 16 – something she now sees as the optimism of youth.

But the mark is getting ever more realistic as she approaches 30 in the strongest fitness she has ever been.

“There were times in my career when I thought that that was looking a long way away,” she said.

“But I always knew that I could definitely throw over 70m and I thought, well, that’s definitely world class and quite a significant throw.

“But I wanted to push myself even further and go for 72m.

“I’ve always thought (I could do) that and I’m more convinced of it every day, especially off the back of the world champs last year and with how training going.

“As you get older, you’ve gotten stronger, the experiDANI ence and your mental capacity and application of everything you’ve learnt is so much finer and more acute.”

After a season-opening throw of 66.02m – one of the best of her career – Stevens is confident she can build again in Sunday’s discus final, then try to defend her Commonwealth Games title in April where her career will complete a full circle.