Valerie Adams
Valerie Adams has become the first thrower in 32 years to win Track & Field News women’s athlete of the year award.
The authoritative American athletics publication has placed Adams number one after she claimed 17 of the 35 votes, heading off British heptathlete Jessica Ennis by 21 points and American sprinter Allyson Felix by 26.
Adams becomes the first thrower to win the award since East German Iilona Slupianek won in 1980, after winning all 14 of her competitions in 2012 and recording the 16 longest shot puts of the year. Adams has been the magazine’s number one women’s shot putter for six of the last seven years. Adams is only the third New Zealander to achieve the feat after Peter Snell won twice in 1962 and 1964 and John Walker in 1975.
Also All-Athletics.com has awarded Valerie Adams Female Athlete of the Year 2012 in Oceania. They made Jared Tallent of Australia Oceania Male Athlete of the Year. Their World Athlete of the Year 2012 Male is Usain Bolt and Female Jessica Ennis and Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce tied.
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