Shot put champion and TCS 10ok model ambassador Valerie Adams at a press convention in Bengaluru on Thursday, 25 April 2024.
| Photo Credit: Sudhakara Jain
Shot putter Valerie Adams has won it all. She stormed to gold medals in two Olympic Games, 4 World Championships, 4 World Indoor Championships and three Commonwealth Games.
But it is the bronze medal on the 2020 Tokyo Olympics that’s most special to her.
Just to make it to Tokyo was an achievement in itself. Between the 2 Olympics, Valerie had two youngsters, and suffered a significant medical scare along with her second being pregnant.
“Having a child is tough on a woman’s body. Having two children is even tougher. I was in a situation where I was nearly lost my life whilst I was pregnant.. To still have the drive to train for the Olympics was pretty crazy,” Valerie, the TCS World 10Okay Bengaluru 2024 occasion ambassador, mentioned in a media interplay right here on Thursday.
Shot put champion and TCS 10ok model ambassador Valerie Adams at a press convention in Bengaluru on Thursday, 25 April 2024.
| Photo Credit:
SUDHAKARA JAIN
“To qualify for the Olympics was insane in itself; nobody thought I could do it. When on my hospital bed one day after my surgery, I asked my surgeon when I could go back to training. The surgeon looked at me like I was crazy,” Valerie added.
Only 10 months after having main surgical procedure, the New Zealand athlete certified for Tokyo. The COVID pandemic then pressured the Games to be postponed, which once more disrupted Valerie’s plans.
“When COVID hit, it threw another spanner in the works. I was 36, getting older, and my body was more sore. The COVID Games at Tokyo was so different. All of a sudden, I was separated from my family for four and a half months for training.
“I was by my own in Tokyo for six weeks. Being away from my children and family — some people would say it is a sacrifice, I would say it is my choice as a way to fulfil my dreams,” Valerie mentioned.
Shot put champion and TCS 10ok model ambassador Valerie Adams at a press convention in Bengaluru on Thursday, 25 April 2024.
| Photo Credit:
SUDHAKARA JAIN
Valerie’s dream got here true with a 19.62m throw — good for a fourth Olympic medal. An emotional Valerie, undoubtedly amongst her nation’s most adorned sportspersons, held up an image of her two youngsters after the occasion.
“I was so driven. I wanted to finish my career on my own terms. I am a fierce competitor; I went to the Olympic Games to win a medal. When I won the bronze medal, it felt like a gold because of my journey and the path I had to take,” Valerie mentioned.