Adams Eat World

Published by SPIKES on November 26, 2014

Valerie Adams is one of New Zealand’s biggest stars. We tell you exactly why she deserves the latest of her many titles: 2014 World Athlete of the Year.

Winning streak

To date, the 30-year-old has put together an unbeaten streak of 56 shot put competitions stretching back to August 2010. In that time she has secured a dizzying seven international titles; two world outdoor, two world indoor, one Olympic, one Commonwealth and one Continental Cup.

“To come out of the year being untouched and unbeaten has been absolutely fantastic,” says the shot put queen of her remarkable season.

“I have 56 competitions now unbeaten and I hope to continue that feat as long as possible, but until then I’m still enjoying it.”

What injuries?

Adams has had to endure niggling injuries during her prolific winning run: in September 2013, she had surgery on her knee and ankle. In September this year, she had ops on her left shoulder and right elbow. Yet she has still won with a mark beyond 21 metres three times and over 20 metres 51 times.

She set four area records – one outdoor at the 2011 World Championships in Daegu, and three indoor at the 2012 World Indoor Championships in Istanbul and 2012 and 2013 Zurich Weltklasse meets – and won 22 Diamond League events over five continents. The cumulative total of all her winning throws is 1147(ish) metres.

“I have really had to bide my time and concentrate on my training because of the injuries I was carrying,” she says.