Athletics: Adams sets sights on two major contests

By TERRY MADDAFORD

Valerie Adams has a simple goal. The distance she puts the shot should parallel her age.

So far, so good.

In winning last year's world youth (under-18) championship, Adams managed a personal and championship best of 17.08m in the qualifying round.

Now, as she heads towards her 18th birthday, she has 18m in her sights.

She and coach Kirsten Hellier are aware that would be good enough for medals in her two big competitions this year - the world junior athletics championships (under-20) in Kingston, Jamaica, and the Manchester Commonwealth Games.

Because of the age cut-off date, Adams, as a 17-year-old, will get only one shot at a junior title.

On present rankings she comes in behind two Chinese athletes and one from Belarus.

But Athletics New Zealand competitions manager Tony Rogers remains confident that given her age and rate of improvement, Adams is by no means a forlorn medal chance. "We're confident she will continue the improvement she has shown."

Adams showed good early-season form in Wanganui last weekend when, in far from ideal conditions, she managed a winning 17.06m - just 2cm below her best.

In the Commonwealth, Adams is ranked behind a Nigerian with a 17.77m best and a South African, who has managed 17.68m, but Rogers is again confident she will be up around those marks come the Commonwealth Games.

Adams will have the advantage of competing in Kingston just days before lining up in Manchester.

"While our Commonwealth Games expectations are not as high as they will be in four years, we know she is capable of doing something special this year," Rogers said.

A popular competitor who Hellier describes as "a dream" to coach, Adams will pour her energies into her sport this year.

"We have talked things over," Hellier said. "We know where we are headed."