Adams on track for Games
Class is permanent, form is coming. Hopefully by next month.
Dame Valerie Adams was upstaged on her return to Christchurch but the Kiwi shot put hero was all smiles as she builds towards next month’s Gold Coast Commonwealth Games.
Adams had to settle for second place – behind Canadian Brittany Crew – in The Big Shot at the Retro Sports Facility in central Christchurch on Friday.
Adams was in front for all but the sixth and final round but was happy to give herself a pass mark after being pipped at the post in just her second competition event since winning the silver medal at the Rio Olympics.
Adams is in a race against time to be somewhere near her best for the Commonwealth Games. She will go into the Games with just three events under her belt following a 19-month layoff to have her first child. But if she is feeling the pressure, she isn’t showing it.
‘‘It is the way it is you can’t change it. You’ve got to roll with it and I have experience on my side. I know what to expect at the Commonwealth Games,’’ she said.
Adams, who gave birth to Kimoana Josephine Adams-Price just five months ago, strode up to the circle to hurl the shot put 18.03m in her first attempt on Friday evening.
She admitted to being light on sleep with a five-month-old in the house but is happy with where she is at.
‘‘Physically I’m in pretty good nick right now and my body is holding up as good as it can,’’ Adams said.
She made a much-anticipated return at the New Zealand track and field championships in Hamilton last week.
The Kiwi cult hero admits she is facing new challenges and knows she needs to be patient in her comeback.
‘‘Now we call things PB, PB, like a PB (personal best), postbaby.
‘‘The progress we’ve made has been quite intense and quite rapid so I’m looking forward to keeping going and just doing what we are doing.
‘‘The biggest frustration for me at the moment is that training is going so well but I just have to bring that to the competition arena.’’
Adams, who threw 17.83m at last week’s nationals, was happy to improve and also be put under pressure by Crew.
Adams’ first-round score was enough to hold the lead until Crew pulled out an 18.42m in her final attempt.
Adams’ last shot at glory fell short, an 18.06m only good enough for second.
‘‘Being able to respond to a big throw from Brittany – it could have gone either way as well – so it’s good that I know that mentally and physically I can still hold it together and give it a good challenge,’’ Adams said.
‘‘You have to have these little increments and goals that you have to reach for and work towards to get myself to my world championship level post-baby.’’
Adams will complete her Commonwealth Games preparation at the Sir Graeme Douglas International Track Challenge at Waitakere on March 25.