ian ▁Cop eland ▁( Nov ember ▁ 2 4 , ▁ 1 9 0 4 ▁– ▁July ▁ 7 , ▁ 1 9 6 4 ) ▁was ▁an ▁American ▁track ▁and ▁field ▁ath lete , ▁who ▁excel led ▁in ▁weight ▁throwing . ▁She ▁has ▁been ▁called ▁" the ▁most ▁successful ▁female ▁disc us ▁thro wer ▁in ▁U . S . ▁history ", ▁and ▁also ▁held ▁multiple ▁titles ▁in ▁shot ▁put ▁and ▁j avel in ▁throwing . ▁ ▁Until ▁the ▁Be ij ing ▁Games , ▁she ▁was ▁the ▁only ▁American ▁woman ▁to ▁win ▁the ▁disc us ▁throw ▁at ▁a ▁modern ▁Olymp i ad . ▁She ▁was ▁also ▁the ▁first ▁Olymp ian ▁who ▁was ▁an ▁al um na ▁of ▁the ▁University ▁of ▁Southern ▁California ▁and ▁Los ▁Angeles ▁High ▁School . ▁ ▁Early ▁life ▁Cop eland ▁was ▁born ▁L ill ian ▁D ross in ▁to ▁Polish - J ew ish ▁imm igr ants ▁in ▁New ▁York . ▁Her ▁father ▁died ▁when ▁she ▁was ▁young , ▁and ▁after ▁her ▁mother ▁rem ar ried ▁they ▁moved ▁to ▁Los ▁Angeles ▁and ▁changed ▁their ▁last ▁names . ▁ ▁Athlet ic ▁career ▁Cop eland ▁competed ▁during ▁the ▁form ative ▁dec ades ▁of ▁women ' s ▁competition ▁in ▁track ▁and ▁field . ▁ ▁Con sequently , ▁her ▁accomplish ments ▁are ▁not ▁fully ▁described ▁by ▁the ▁two ▁med als ▁she ▁won ▁in ▁the ▁disc us ▁throw . ▁ ▁She ▁excel led ▁in ▁all ▁throwing ▁events ; ▁in ▁the ▁shot ▁put , ▁she ▁won ▁the ▁AA U ▁champion ships ▁ 5 ▁times ▁( 1