Athletics NZ thrilled with news that Dame Valerie is expecting

Athletics New Zealand is thrilled with the news that Dame Valerie Adams and her husband Gabriel Price are expecting their first child later this year.

Athletics New Zealand High Performance Director Scott Goodman, who is now assisting Dame Valerie with technical input into her coaching, said it was no secret that Dame Valerie and Gabriel were keen to start a family after the Rio 2016 Olympics where she won silver at her fourth Olympic Games.

"This is wonderful news for Dame Valerie and Gabe and we are very excited for them", said Goodman.

"Dame Valerie has told us that she is keen to compete at her fifth Commonwealth Games on the Gold Coast in April next year, and we will do everything we can to support her in that goal", Goodman added.

Athletics New Zealand Chief Executive Linda Hamersley is also very happy for Dame Valerie.

"Dame Valerie has had some remarkable achievements in her life and this is a wonderful next stage for her and Gabe," said Hamersley.

On Wednesday earlier this week Dame Valerie had her investiture at Government House in Auckland to officially become a Dame Companion of the New Zealand Order of Merit.

New Zealands most prolific athlete at on the world stage, Dame Valerie has won three Olympic shot put medals (two of them gold), four World Championship gold medals, three Commonwealth Games golds and four World Indoor Championships medals in a fifteen year international career.

New Zealands youngest Dame has been training but has not competed since winning the IAAF Diamond League in September last year and was not planning to compete at the World Championships in London this August.

- This story has been automatically published using a media release from Athletics New Zealand