Valerie Adams: Gold medal 'better late than never'

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Adams: Gold medal 'better late than never'

3News NZ

Valerie Adams with Nadzeya Ostapchuk on the podium (Reuters)

Valerie Adams with Nadzeya Ostapchuk on the podium (Reuters)

By Dan Satherley

Olympic shot put champion Valerie Adams says she "can't wait" to give her silver medal back and collect the gold.

Belarussian competitor Nadzeya Ostapchuk was outed as a drug cheat overnight, the IOC stripping her of the gold and promoting Adams to first place.

This morning Adams said she's looking forward to having her own little medal ceremony to right last week's wrong.

"I think it's very important to me to be able to hear my national anthem, savour the moment, and just reflect back on the last eight years, and especially the last two years, the changes I've made to become the Olympic champion that I am today," says Adams.

"I can't wait until that happens, and I can't wait to get a gold medal and give the silver back."

It could take months for that to happen, but she's wasting no time in celebrating.

"Tonight I had one small glass of champagne and it went to my head straight away, so I've stopped that now. I have a competition on Thursday, but I'm going to be celebrating with everybody that I love here in Switzerland and also back in New Zealand when I'm done with my season."

      Adams was on her to training when she got the news Ostapchuk had tested positive for anabolic agent metenolone. But Adams says she's done talking about her disgraced rival.

      "I don't want to waste any more of my time or my breath on her. What she's done is really negative for the sport, but I hope and pray that this continues on and the system that has been put in place to catch these cheats is actually working.

      "I have no time and I don't want to give her any of my time."

      Defending the title she won in Beijing, 2004, proves Adams to be the best shot putter of her generation.

      "A double gold-winner, Olympic gold medallist is very rare to come by, and I think the longevity in the sport shows just how good you are by being able to maintain your dominance through two Olympic Games," says Adams.

      "So I'm absolutely humbled and very, very happy. Nothing can take this away from me now, even though it's come a week later, but better late than never."

      Watch the video for the full interview.

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      Comments

      14/08/2012 6:05:51 p.m.

      Julia wrote:

      Congratulations Valerie, so stoked for you! But why on earth has Mike McRoberts dyed his hair blonde!!

      14/08/2012 5:03:58 p.m.

      Rose Harris wrote:

      Nice one Val well deserved bring on ceremony.

      14/08/2012 2:30:02 p.m.

      madness wrote:

      Congrats Valerie, you so deserve this!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Shame you won't get it in the offical manor in which you should have because of someone who cheated, but hey they all get caught in the end. They better give you a ceremony here to make up for it. Wonderful news you deserve it for your straight up commitment. Might make it a hat trick in four years time ah, I reckon you will.

      14/08/2012 1:42:31 p.m.

      Christine wrote:

      Congratulation Valerie I knew from watching you from the beginning right to the end even up to the recieving the medals there was somthing fishy about that Belarussian competitor Nadzeya Ostapchuk will it foes to show that she didnt have class like you did Valerie because right now she shot herself in the foot, what goes around comes around. You deserved the medal from the start. To all those that said Valerie couldnt handle the pace yes now eat your words. Thr truth always comes out and it did and I am sure Ostapchuk cant blame anyone but herself for her deception tryin to take the shortcut to her glory will nasty people like these get shown up very quickly she brought shame on her and her country. Never mind Valerie this is your gold medal cos you the better woman and the true champion of the shotput of the olympics cheers to you.



      Total
      United States of America462929104
      People's Republic of China38272388
      Great Britain29171965
      Russian Federation24263282
      South Korea138728
      New Zealand62513
      All the medals