Athletics: Val sets shot soaring before jetting off

Jacko Gill set a world age-group record. File photo / Paul Estcourt

Olympic and world shot put champion Valerie Adams finished off her Down Under competitive season with a New Zealand all-comers and resident record of 20.54m at the national championships in Dunedin yesterday.

In perfect conditions in front of a bumper crowd, Adams opened with 20.33m, fell out of the front in the next round, with the record coming in her third attempt. It added 21cm to her record set at the Auckland championships last month. Her national record, set overseas, is 21.07m.

"I came out today to try and break my own resident and all-comers record; I'm really happy with my series, the best series this season, I'm pretty stoked to throw 20.54m today," said Adams. "Competing in New Zealand is always hard to get out for but, hey man, if I can do it here I can do it anywhere."

"I'm back to Switzerland [to be with her new coach] this week. It's been pretty tough on my own, we've been doing lots of video analysis, with the videos sent back to my coach and he comes back and we do what we got to do here."

With the world championships in late August in Korea, Adams said that she is nowhere near peaking.

"I now go back to really do the base work - lots of lifting and throwing, real heavy stuff, heading towards the world champs."

Meanwhile hot shot putt prospect Jacko Gill knocked off another world age record in the shot put - claiming the world record for 16 and 17-year-olds with the 6kg shot with his performance of 21.34m. That improved on his own 16-years record of 20.76m and bettered the 17-year-olds record of 21.08m set by German David Storl in 2008.

While pleased to get another couple of records, Gill was disappointed he didn't get out to 22.73m which would also give him the 18- and 19-year-old records.

"I definitely wanted a lot further today, but there are a lot of other opportunities to do it," said Gill.

"There are a few technique things that are wrong," he added.

Gill is looking to achieve the standard for selection into the senior shot for the world championships, and even though his age of 16 prevents him from attending, he said that it will be a good base for the London Olympic Games.

"I want to reach the finals at the London Olympics."

Tom Walsh provided plenty of competition for Gill, coming second with 19.91m.

Meanwhile Nikki Hamblin, double silver medallist at the Delhi Commonwealth Games, comfortably won the first of her double title defences - the 800m in 2m 5.49s. She competes in the 1500m today.

Alex Jordan of Tasman was outstanding in the senior 400m, winning in the third fastest time by a New Zealander of 46.40s.