Valerie Adams

Valerie Adams is a New Zealand shot putter who won Olympic gold medals in 2008 and 2012 and four world outdoor championships.

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2008 Summer Olympics: The Summer Olympic Games held in Beijing, China, from August 8 to 24, 2008. Adams won her first Olympic gold medal in the women’s shot put in Beijing.
Dame Lilah E. G. A. Meacham: A New Zealand athletics coach who worked with Valerie Adams during her development and elite career. Meacham coached Adams and helped shape her preparation as a shot putter.
Shot put: A track-and-field event in which athletes put a heavy metal sphere for distance from a circular throwing area. It is the event in which Adams built her international career.
New Zealand at the Olympics: The history of New Zealand athletes and teams at the Olympic Games. Adams became one of New Zealand’s most decorated Olympic athletes.
2012 Summer Olympics: The Summer Olympic Games held in London, United Kingdom, from July 27 to August 12, 2012. She defended her Olympic title in London, securing a second consecutive gold.
Tomasz Majewski: A Polish shot putter who won Olympic gold medals in 2008 and 2012. Majewski’s consecutive Olympic titles paralleled Adams’s achievement in the men’s event.
Glide technique: A shot-put technique in which an athlete moves backward across the circle before delivering the shot. Adams used the glide technique to generate speed and power within the circle.
New Zealand Order of Merit: A New Zealand state honour recognizing meritorious service and achievement. Adams received high national honours during her career.
World Athletics Championships: The international outdoor track-and-field championships organized by World Athletics. Adams won four world outdoor titles across this championship’s editions.
Nadezhda Ostapchuk: A Belarusian shot putter whose 2012 Olympic gold was revoked after a positive doping test. The disqualification elevated Adams from silver to gold in the London results.