Valerie Adams Teleconference Highlights - IAAF Diamond League

Published by the IAAF on April 28, 2014

To mark the imminent start of the 2014 season of the IAAF Diamond League, which gets under way in Doha on Friday 9 May, New Zealand’s shot put heroine Valerie Adams spoke to the press from her European training base in Switzerland in a media teleconference this afternoon (28).

Adams’ honours include winning gold medals in her specialist event at the last two Olympic Games, the last four IAAF World Championships and the last two IAAF World Indoor Championships.

Here are some of the highlights from the teleconference:

What are you expectations ahead of competing in Doha at the first Diamond League meeting of the year?

Valerie Adams: I do know it’s going to be hot! How I’ll deal with it, I don’t know as it’s about five degrees in Switzerland at the moment.

However, I am looking forward to going there. I have never competed in Doha outdoors and this is the first time I’ve started my (northern hemisphere) summer season so early, with the first Diamond League meeting. I’ve been training very well and I’m just looking for a good opener.

Turning the clock back to the 2010 IAAF World Indoor Championships, where you got a silver medal, what are your memories of Doha?

VA: I didn’t really have the chance to look around the city as it was a championship but what I did see what quite amazing. It’s a different world but that one of the advantages of travelling the world, you get to experience different cultures, so I’m looking forward to going back there.

You’ve won the Diamond Race for the last three years, do you intend to compete at all seven meetings in which your event will be held in 2014?

VA: It is the plan if the body holds up. I really enjoy competing in the Diamond League; especially as there are no major events this year, so to speak, except for the Commonwealth Games. It’s a good opportunity to showcase what we do and compete against the best in the world.