Adams ponders career end during return from surgery

FOR the first time Kiwi double Olympic shot put champion Valerie Adams has put a likely end date on her career, with strong suggestions she will retire after the Gold Coast Commonwealth Games in 2018.

Adams spoke to media in London ahead of this weekend’s Diamond League meet at the Olympic Park venue after her 56-meet, five-year win streak was snapped in Paris early this month.

The 30-year-old four-time world champion is on the comeback trail after a long layoff after surgery on her right elbow and left shoulder. She experienced nerve pain that left her fearing she might never throw the shot put again.

But she has made it back into the competitive arena, though not in the fashion we have been used to, coming fifth at the Paris Diamond League meet with a best throw of 18.79m. That ended a winning streak that stretched back to 2010 and has clearly forced her to re-evaluate her career.

Asked in London about whether Rio would be her last Olympics, Adams gave the clearest hint yet that she has mapped out an end point.

‘‘I don’t know,’’ she replied. ‘‘It’s my fourth Olympic Games and I want to finish well. Deep down for me I think Rio will be it.

‘‘I would like to retire at the Commonwealth Games in the Gold Coast but Rio for me is the ultimate.’’

Adams is driven to achieve the rare feat of three straight Olympic golds in her event and she admitted the major surgery late last season and a long and challenging Valerie Adams pictured on her return to competition in France earlier this month. rehab were designed with that in mind.

‘‘I would love to go to Beijing [next month] because I do love to compete at world champs but the long-term goal is Rio,’’ she said.

‘‘Regardless of everything else that happens this year, we have got to make sure our work is heading towards Rio and not damaging ourselves more this year.’’

She said her path back from surgery had been frustrating.

‘‘The road has been very long and very rocky but you try your hardest to stay positive and committed to what you’re doing.

‘‘Sometimes I wake up and it’s so painful that it is hard. But the drive and fire still burn inside and I just had to find a way.

‘‘I’m very grateful to start competing because it’s been a very long and difficult road but I’m not giving up.’’

Adams reiterated that the short-term pain was very much about long-term gain.

‘‘The world championships are important but I have won that four times. Rio is the biggest goal here. We’ve done whatever we can to try to make ends meet for now but next year is the bigger goal.’’