Athletics: Valerie Adams searching for a new coach

Valerie Adams with her now-former coach Jean Pierre Egger. Photo / Doug Sherring

Double Olympic gold medallist shot putter Valerie Adams is looking for a new coach, following news her long-standing mentor Jean Pierre Egger is retiring.

The 74-year Swiss coach didn't travel to Rio with Adams for last year's Olympics after suffering a knee injury.

Adams, who won gold in 2008 at the Beijing Games and four years later in London, took silver in Rio, beaten on the last throw by American Michelle Carter.

Adams, 32, told Newshub she won't be returning to her Swiss base to train, but would be spending more time in New Zealand.

"I feel sad, but I feel it's the right choice and the right thing for us to do, to move on to the next phase," she said.

Adams will be working with Athletics New Zealand's high performance manager Scott Goodman, and strength and conditioning coach Angus Ross.

She is still searching overseas for a technical coach, but with no plans to contest the world championships in London this year, Adams has plenty of time to find the right person.

Adams said her long term focus is centred on defending her Commonwealth Games title in 2018 on Australia's Gold Coast.