Athletics: Adams' victory extends unbeaten run

Valerie Adams. Photo / Brett Phibbs

Olympic and world champion Valerie Adams has maintained her unbeaten run in 2011, winning the shot put at the Diamond League meeting at Crystal Palace in London.

Adams was out to 20.07m to hand another defeat to arch-rival Nadezhda Ostapchuk of Belarus. Although Adams' throw was below her best for the season, it was her biggest winning margin, 55cm, over Ostapchuk in their four clashes this year.

Adams said she approached the competition with caution.

"I tweaked a muscle in my neck a little bit in training yesterday, so I wasn't sure whether to compete," she said.

"That was in the back of my mind throughout the competition, so I was a bit cautious - obviously I didn't want to do anything to it with the World Championships so close.

"My goal is to win a third world title. That's what keeps me motivated. That's why I keep coming out. I love it.

"My edge this year is all down to my new coach [Jean-Pierre Egger]. Technically I'm a lot better and that all goes down to the work I have done with him in the last eight months. It was pretty frustrating last year, but that's what sport is about. Now I'm pretty happy where I am. I'm in the best shape ever."

Adams leads the Diamond League shot put with 16 points, with Ostapchuk second on 12 and Jillian Camarena-Williams (USA) third with six points. There is one more shot put remaining in the Diamond League, in Zurich on September 8.

Adams' next competition will be the World Championships in Daegu, South Korea, where the final of the women's shot put is in the evening of Monday, August 29.