Movie review: Olympian's success is more than gold

Olympic shot put champion Dame Valerie Adams is the subject of a new documentary, More than Gold. Photo / supplied

Dame Valerie Adams – More Than Gold (90 min)
Screening in cinemas now
Directed by Briar March

The promotional material for Dame Valerie Adams – More Than Gold says it's a story of a mother, a Tongan leader, a daughter, a sister and a survivor that "will resonate with ordinary New Zealanders in an extraordinarily human way". It certainly does that and in the process, subtly makes it clear that Dame Valerie is a national hero.

Shot-putter Dame Valerie won many medals, finishing with an Olympic bronze in Tokyo in 2021. Previously, she'd won gold medals at the Beijing Olympics in 2008 and after Nadzeya Astapchuk was disqualified for doping, she won gold in London in 2012. Deprived of the top podium place, Dame Valerie showed a hero's humility.

In her role as AIA's vitality ambassador, Dame Valerie says for her, being healthy is not about winning.

"It's about having the energy I need to live the life I want, with the people I love." That's a reference to Dame Valerie's children, to her husband Gabriel Price, to her mother-in-law who helped care for the children when Dame Valerie was away for two long stints, training in Christchurch preparing for Tokyo and then for four months in Tokyo.

There were many hurdles to overcome: Dame Valerie's grit and her determination to get fit are phenomenal. There were things that could have broken her: the death of her beloved mother and being thrown out on the street by her stepfather, both happening at only 16, her disastrous first marriage, her parting of the ways with coach and parent substitute Kirsten Hillier, her difficult path through IVF.

And there were the constants: her drive to succeed, her Christian faith, her trust in herself, the belief others had in her, including her family, her physiotherapist Louise "Louloubelle" Johnson and her coaches, particularly Dale Stevenson and Jean-Pierre Eggers, for whom she drove herself to drop significant weight. He wouldn't take her on otherwise. And then there's her desire to give back: her Paralympian younger sister Lisa, coached by Dame Valerie, won gold in Tokyo in 2021.

Dame Valerie's first pair of shoes came from her sports teacher at high school. Later, support came from sponsors, including AIA, Toyota and Visa.

Without labouring the point, the film makes it clear that without that support, she wouldn't have been able to compete, her greatness would never have been recognised.

Erica Farrelly gets suitable recognition in the film too, for being Dame Valerie's friend at primary school, punching those bullies, despite being a shrimp beside her.

Briar March (The Coffin Club, 2017) and producer Leanne Pooley (The Topp Twins: Untouchable Girls, 2009) had firm hands on the wheel. The selection of footage and cinematography is brilliant. Arli Leberman's music is both unobtrusive and outstanding, quite an achievement, as is Dylan Coburn's storyboard artistry. This wonderful film needs to be seen by everyone who needs inspiration.

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The first person to bring an image or hardcopy of this review to Starlight Cinema Taupō qualifies for a free ticket to 'Dame Valerie Adams - More Than Gold'.