Olympic champion Dame Valerie Adams retires

Dame Adams was New Zealand's flagbearer for the Tokyo 2020 Closing Ceremony. Photo: The NZ Olympic Team.

Two-time Olympic shot put champion Dame Valerie Adams has announced her retirement from the sport.

Rotorua-born Adams fought back tears as she stated she was 'officially hanging up these size 14 throwing shoes”.

She says she took time after winning bronze in Tokyo last year to consider her options for a future campaign but that her 'heart mind and body” made the decision for her.

'It is time for me to call it a day,” she says.

'Representing Aotearoa for the last 22 years has given me so much joy.”

Adams says she is humbled to have been able to show that 'little New Zealand has what it takes to be the best in the world” and that athletics will remain a huge part of her life. She passes her blessing on to the next New Zealand athlete to 'lift the shot”.

Adams says she is looking forward to spending more time with her 'beautiful family” and continuing to coach her sister, Paralympic Games gold medalist shot putter Lisa Adams, whilst also teasing a move into cinema.

Adams, who also won three gold and two silver shot put medals across five Commonwealth Games, was made a Dame Companion of the New Zealand Order of Merit in the 2017 New Years Honours.

She was named the supreme award winner at the Halberg Awards for three consecutive years from 2007 and won the same awards' Sportswoman of the Year accolade for seven consecutive years from 2006.

In addition to her two Olympic gold medals, Adams claimed an Olympic silver in Rio in 2016 and a last year's bronze. She was also the New Zealand team's flagbearer for the closing ceremony of the Tokyo Olympic Games - a moment she said at the time meant a lot to her and her family.

"One day when my children Kimoana and Kepaleli understand what their mum does I hope they will be just as proud of this significant moment too," she said.

Following her showing in Tokyo, Adams said she hoped she could show other mums what was possible.

"I hope to continue to inspire female athletes all around the world that if you want to have a kid and you want to come back and be at the top of the world, you can, you can absolutely do that and today's a testament to that."

- Additional reporting/RNZ

0 comments

Leave a Comment


You must be logged in to make a comment.