Adams puts herself back to form

HAMILTON

Valerie Adams

Porritt Classic, Porritt Stadium – 11 February 2012
World and Olympic shot put champion Valerie Adams in a lead up to regain the world indoor title was out to 20.19m in front of a captured audience.
After a shaky start which saw her purposely foul on not being happy with her opening attempt, she was out to 19.69m, followed by 19.75m. Adams best came in round four and she finished off with a 20.13m and a 20.09m.

“That was a better series than I had in Christchurch. At the moment our training is not conducive to big throws, because at the moment our aim is the world indoor championships,” she said.

Her coach Jean-Pierre Egger said he was very happy when you consider her three throws over 20 metres were better than second place at last year’s world championships in Daegu. Nadzeya Ostapchuk of Belarus was second to Adams in South Korea with 20.05m.
“But we must be better and we will be better,” said Egger.

Adams will meet her arch rival Ostapchuk again at the indoor championships in Istanbul Turkey on 10 March. At the 2008 championships Adams won, but two years ago in Doha Ostapchuk was out to 20.85m to Adams’ 20.49m for the title.

Adams next meeting is in Sydney on Saturday and then it is back to Switzerland with Egger, in the lead up to the indoor championships and the Olympics.

Other highlights at the meeting were a personal best and meeting record high jump by Elizabeth Lamb at 1.90m, just 2cm short of the Tania Murray’s New Zealand record and 5cm off qualifying for the London Olympic Games. Lamb broke Angela McKee’s Auckland record of 1.89m set in Christchurch in 2006.

Lamb said that she had some anxious moments in the competition.
“I was looking a bit shaky; I almost didn’t have 1.87m which I got on my third attempt. I was really hoping for a PB – couldn’t ask for any better conditions, so once I got 1.87m I knew I could get 1.90m, so off we went and I got it,” said Lamb.

“I’m very excited to know I could go through for the New Zealand record,” she added.

Regan Standing established a personal best high jump of 2.08m in beating national champion Billy Crayford who cleared 2.05m. Cameron French claimed the 400m hurdles in 52.03s running down the national champion James Mortimer over the final 30 metres.

Secondary Schools middle distance champion Brad Mathas of Wanganui celebrated his victory over 800m by breaking the 1m 50s barrier for the first time recording 1m 49.57s.

“I’m just over the moon, I wasn’t sure whether I was going to do it because I went through so fast, but just to pull it off finally is just a huge relief.
“But I still want to move on to bigger and bigger things though, I want to get faster. I’m competing in Melbourne and I want to be pulled through for a good time,” said Mathas.

Recent sub-four minute miler Malcolm Hicks won the 1500m in 3m 44.48s, with schools and national junior champion Julian Oakley recording a huge personal best of 3m 47.31s in second. Camille Buscomb continued her run of good form winning the women’s 1500m in 4m 24.63s.

Stuart Farquhar opened his campaign for the London Olympics sending the javelin out to 80.95m in his first competition of the season.
“I really had no idea what I would do, I’m training really well lately, a lot of heavy training so it is good to get over 80 metres on first comp,” said Farquhar.

His next competition is in Melbourne on 3 March.
“I’m hoping to step it up a bit more there; get the whole run up right and be able to apply the forces better,” added Farquhar.

Ben Langton Burnell produced a personal best throw of 69.52m in taking second behind Farquhar. The 19 year old from Levin said his next goal is the 70 metre barrier.
“I was just 48cm short today, but it will come. They were very good conditions today and I’m rapt,” said Langton Burnell who added that he has improved almost 10 metres this season.

Julia Ratcliffe was impressive in the women’s hammer with her best throw for some time of 62.09m. Ella Pilkington with the 3kg hammer set an Auckland W17 record of 51.57m.

National sprint champion Carl Van der Speck won the sprint double with times of 10.51s (+2.5) over 100m and 21.30s (+2.0) over 200m, while Kristie Baillie won the 200m/400m double in 24.62s (+2.5) and 54.82s. Rochelle Coster won the 100m in 11.93s (-0.1), Fiona Morrison the 100m hurdles in 13.95s (+2.1), Tama Toki in the absence of Frazer Wickes ran an almost solo 400m in 48.06s and Jesse Bryant won the long jump with 7.15m (+2.6).