Stephanie Brown Trafton on life after Olympic gold

Stephanie Brown Trafton caused a massive surprise in Beijing by taking the USA’s first Olympic women’s discus gold since 1932. spikesmag.com enjoyed an email conversation with the Californian-based athlete...

When did you first realise you had a talent for throwing things?

SBT: I began throwing the discus and shot put in grade 7 and did not show much potential. I was so very skinny and frail but in grade 9 I had a great coach who saw a potential for throwing the discus.


Your hero as a child was 1984 Olympic gymnastics champion Mary Lou Retton. At what stage did you realise you would not be able to emulate your hero?
SBT: I wanted to be an Olympian from the moment I saw the Games on TV in ’84. I don’t remember feeling sadness about not being able to be a gymnast because I was too busy doing other sports and excelling at them.


You won a scholarship for track and field and basketball. What did you dream of at that point: an Olympic title or national basketball crown?

SBT: At that point I was still dreaming of becoming an Olympian in either basketball or track. I had aspirations to be a great basketball player but that ended my sophomore year with a knee injury.  
 
Where do you get your talent: from your mum or dad?

SBT: I get my physical talents from Dad and my work ethic from my mum. She was a driven individual who had a passion for life and was stubborn as an ox… just like me!


You have a British link, is that right?
SBT: My mum is from the UK - born in Guildford. Dad is from California, USA. My mum died when I was four. The family moved to California in 1977 and I was born in San Luis Obispo, California in 1979.  

Do you have a lot of family based in the UK?

SBT: I have many family members on the Isle of Wight [The Lamb Family] as well as British cousins in London, Spain and Australia.


Do you know the words to the British National anthem, God Save the Queen?

SBT: No, but I don’t mind learning.  I’m sure if mum were here today she would teach me.


With the 2012 Games in London would you ever be tempted to compete for Great Britain in the future?
SBT: Don’t hold your breath for that! I have done well in the USA uniform so I don’t want to mess with a good thing!


You have a full-time job as a computer-assisted designer. How difficult was it to balance a regular day job and train for the Olympics?
SBT: Not too difficult for me. The difficult part is finding an employer who is willing to hire someone who needs the time off for competition. My employer can tell you that it is a good investment because the company gets a lot of attention and free advertising for their support.


Can you afford to quit your day job now?  
SBT: I probably could afford to quit now but I wouldn’t give it up just because of my athletic success. I would be bored to tears and would go crazy if I didn’t have a job to go to.


You have enjoyed a great year in 2008. Where has the improvement come from?
SBT: I have been training with a sports performance trainer who is also a physical therapist. I went to him a few years ago with an injury and stayed on as one of his pupils for one-on-one training. He was able to improve my athleticism by increasing general strength, balance, agility, and flexibility. This bodywork allowed me to get into better positions for discus and improve my technical abilities in the ring. I have had technical help from many sources and some minor tweaks in my technique made a big difference. I bring my disc to a complete stop on the wind up, which helps me control the speed as I begin the throw.


How has your life changed since your Olympic gold medals?
SBT: I am much more busy now and my public speaking skills have improved tremendously. I am touring schools, accepting local and national awards, speaking at conferences etc. I enjoy the attention most of the time but now and again I just need to stay home and walk around in my PJ’s.


What is the best and worst part of being an Olympic champion?  
SBT: Best part is knowing that all the hard work has paid off and sharing the success with family, friends, coaches, etc. Worst part is that at some level the thought crosses your mind that you might have hit a high point in your athletic career and the rest is downhill. For me to overcome that I have to review my goals and set new ones to accomplish a legacy in the sport.


What are your future goals and aims?

SBT: I plan on continuing with training and aim for a national championship and World championship next year. I want to leave a legacy for throwing to the younger generation of throwers in the USA and give them confidence that we can compete with the best in the world and win!

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