BUDAPEST, Hungary – National champion and record holder Danniel Thomas-Dodd knew it could take all three throws in the prelims to get into Saturday’s final of the women’s shot put at the Budapest World Athletics Championships, and she welcomed it.

Having not competed since the national trials in early July, Thomas-Dodd said she needed the throws, especially because the qualification round was early in the morning. She produced 19.36m on her final effort, well over the 19.10m qualifying standard.

“I was prepared for the possibility of it taking me all three throws to get through to the finals,” she said, adding “I have not competed since our national championships which is well over a month now so I am happy that I was able to get all three throws and get the big Q and, like I said, it was kind of expected that it was going to take me all three throws to get the automatic qualifier and I am happy with it.”

Thomas-Dodd, who started with 17.75m then improved to 18.77m in the second round, a mark that would have seen her advance, said she was not anxious about having to wait until the second to last day of the championships to start her competition.

“My biggest concern was the early start, the competition started at 10:25am (Budapest time) and we have to be here two to three hours before so I needed to get my body awake,” said Thomas-Dodd, who also hinted she was thinking of going back to the discus throw and do the throws double next year.

Making it through to the shot put final was her first priority she said.

“It was a big positive to be able to get over 19.00m in the morning (and) I just got to go back, rest up and get ready for later.”

The silver medallist from Doha in 2019 said throwing a personal best 19.77m earlier this season is “a good indicator of where I am”.

“I am not going to dwell on it but it would be nice to get another personal best in this championships, whether it puts me on the podium that would be a big plus,” she said.