Athletics: Injury overshadows win

Specialist Multimedia Sports Journalist·Herald on Sunday·

10 May, 2014 05:00 PM3 mins to read

Valerie Adams won her event in Doha by more than a metre. Photo / AP

It was a big day for the Adams family yesterday, as Valerie extended her unbeaten record by winning her Diamond League meet in Doha and Steven helped the Thunder to an NBA play-off series lead

Valerie Adams has received an injury scare ahead of the Commonwealth Games, battling a shoulder complaint on her non-throwing arm.

At this stage there is "no danger" of missing the Glasgow event but she has had scans to define the problem and will undertake a physiotherapy programme.

It didn't stop the double Olympic gold medallist completing a comfortable win in the IAAF Diamond League meeting in Doha yesterday — she was more than 1m ahead of her nearest rival — but the situation will be monitored closely.

"Val has a niggle in her shoulder which is requiring quite a bit of attention," said Adams' manager Nick Cowan. "She is feeling pretty good, and doesn't rate the problem as particularly painful, but the physiotherapist is a bit concerned about it and will do some further investigation."

Adams' physiotherapist, Louise Johnson, who has been with her since the start of her career, joined Adams in Doha on what Cowan said was a "scheduled catch-up". Adams had surgery on her right shoulder in 2006 — her left shoulder is injured this time — getting 2cm cut from her clavicle. At the time, that was assessed as an overuse injury.

"There are similar signs to what that one was like early on so [we are] making sure we stay on top of it before it gets to that stage," Cowan said. "At the moment, we are not calling it an injury — she just threw 20.20m — it's more of an early-season niggle. But because of its location we have to investigate."

Cowan added there was "no danger" of her missing the Commonwealth Games, which start in Glasgow in 11 weeks.

"You never say never but we have been more concerned about her knee," Cowan said. "It seems a minor complaint but obviously we have to be careful with shoulders."

It's too early to say how Adams' build-up will be affected. It might mean a decreased training load, or could compromise her ability to follow the weights programme. Adams won't compete in the next two Diamond League events (Shanghai and Eugene) but is scheduled to line up for the Rome meet on June 5. Beyond Rome, there are six more events on the IAAF calendar before Glasgow.

Adams has a famously high pain threshold and has defied pain to throw on several occasions.

The current situation is another reminder of Adams' durability and also the physical toll of the sport. Adams had off-season surgery on her right knee and left ankle in a bid to ensure she would remain healthy through to the 2016 Rio Olympics. That event remains the long-term priority and will be central to any future decisions.

Adams reeled off her 47th-consecutive victory in Doha to begin her European outdoor season. The opening mark of 20.20m was all she needed over a field which did not contain any of her major rivals. The 29-year-old followed with an uncharacteristic four fouls and a fifth-round throw of 19.51m.