Samuels, the individual, may not have changed.

But when she threw 65.44 metres at the World Athletics Championships in Berlin, Samuels, the athlete, changed forever.

That one throw on August 21 transformed Samuels from the hunter to the hunted, as rivals from around the world set their sights on her benchmark.

But the girl from Merrylands isn't watching her back.

She's looking ahead at what the future may bring.

``Since I was 16 I said that I wanted to go to the Olympics and I aimed for my first to be at London in 2012,'' Samuels told the Champion.

She was right about the Olympic part, but was a long way off when it came to the date and location.

Samuels made her maiden Olympic Games appearance in Beijing last year, finishing the tournament in a respectable ninth position.

But with a Commonwealth bronze and a World Championship gold medal to her name, Samuels has a long and promising career ahead of her.

``The peak age for discus is around 28 to 32 years old,'' she said. ``It's exciting to think what I'll be when I'm that age.''

One man who is still living off the excitement of Berlin is her coach Denis Knowles, who has mentored the discus queen for the last 10 years.

``I think of that moment every day,'' Knowles said.

``I live it every day and it makes me feel good.

``It was one of the best moments of my life.''

Knowles said he was expecting a tough campaign in London but time was on Samuels' side.

``I think the next Olympics will be a higher standard,'' he said.

``The refreshing thing is that she is already a world champion and we still have three years to prepare.''