Athletics: Adams has no gripes with shot put silver medal

8.00am

MANCHESTER - Valerie Adams was just 8cm away from a Commonwealth Games gold medal but the giant 17-year-old insisted she was over the moon to grab shot put silver here today.

Adams' best effort of 17.45m in front of another capacity crowd at the City of Manchester Stadium was not quite good enough as Nigerian Vivian Chukwuemeka won the gold with a 17.53m throw.

Adams' effort was inferior to her qualifying throw of 17.63m yesterday, which headed the field, and below her personal best of 17.73m, which helped her claim the world junior title in Jamaica a fortnight ago.

But there were was no hint of disappointment from the 1.93m tall, Aucklander, who is three months short of turning 18.

"I'm not disappointed at anything, I'm happy, I'm stoked, I'm over the moon" Adams said.

"I had a fantastic time out there, I didn't throw as well as I wanted to, but I'm happy with my performance. It was a great atmosphere, I enjoyed the crowd, it was just awesome."

Adams never held the lead in the competition, with Chukwuemeka breaking 17m with her first attempt and Adams throwing 16.87m

Chukwuemeka threw her winning effort with her second attempt before Adams rattled off four 17m-plus throws. Her silver medal effort came at her third throw and was enough to hold off South African Veronica Abarahamse who won her second consecutive Commonwealth bronze.

Adams said the noisy 38,000 crowd had some effect.

"There were nerves, obviously, but it's over now. I've had a hectic last two weeks."

The first person Adams ran to after the competition was her coach and foster mother Kirsten Hellier who won silver in the javelin at the 1994 Games.

Adams paid tribute to her as the sole reason behind her success.

"She's been with me all the way. If I was alone who knows where I would have been now. I love her to bits, she's shared the nerves with me, tried to calm me down and keep me busy.

"She's always the first one I go to at the end of a competition. She's my family, my coach, my friend, my counsellor, my mother."

Adams dedicated the medal to her mother who died of cancer two years ago. She now lives in a flat at the back of Hellier's home in Auckland.

It has been a hectic fortnight for Adams and she admitted it may have taken its toll. She only arrived in Manchester less than a week ago and had to adjust to 10degC temperatures after the heat of Jamaica.

In other events today, Wellington architect Jonathan Wyatt finished a creditable sixth in the marathon, running a personal best of two hours 14 minutes and 20 seconds. He was 2-1/2 minutes adrift of winner Francis Naali of Tanzania.

Phil Costley finished a listless 17th out of 24 in a time of 2hr 28min 16sec -- 15min outside his personal best, while Craig Kirkwood pulled out at the halfway point with a hip problem.

Sprinter Dallas Roberts made it to the semifinals of the 200m with a third equal finish in the second round in a time of 21.24sec. He ran second to the great Frankie Fredericks in his heat.

Pole vaulter Melina Hamilton qualified for her final with a clearance of 4m while long jumper Chantal Brunner also made her final with a leap of 6.34m to be ranked sixth.

Result of the women's shot put final:

1. Vivian Chukwuemeka (Nigeria) 17.53m

2. Valerie Adams (New Zealand) 17.45

3. Veronica Abrahamse (South Africa) 16.77

4. Cleopatra Borrel (Trinidad & Tobago) 16.27

5. Myrtle Augee (England) 16.05

6. Joanne Duncan (England) 15.99

7. Julie Dunkley (England) 15.81

8. Candice Scott (Trinidad & Tobago) 15.33

9. Tina Akowe (Nigeria) 15.23

10. Ana Po'uhila (Tonga) 15.09

11. Michelle Haage (Australia) 14.83

12. Eleni Teloni (Cyprus) 13.88

- NZPA

Full coverage:
nzherald.co.nz/manchester2002

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