Athletics: Stunning record shot put

A 17-year-old topples a national record that has stood since the 1964 Olympics. TERRY MADDAFORD reports.

There is no stopping Valerie Adams.

The 17-year-old stunned the crowd at Saturday's NorthSport Classic with a 17.38m shot put which smashed Val Young's 1964 record of 17.26m.

That record, set when Young finished fourth at the Tokyo Olympics, was the longest-standing national women's record. Only Peter Snell's 1962 800m record is older.

Adams, who showed she was in the best form of her short but dazzling career with a 17.50m put at a club meeting midweek, opened with a record 17.33m which beat Young's mark and broke her own national under-18 and under-20 records.

She followed her strong opener with 17.24m, 17.14m, a no throw, the record 17.38m and a 17.18m last-round effort in a contest with just one other competitor.

Later, watching her star pupil continue her record-breaking feats in the discus circle, Adams' coach Kirsten Hellier admitted she had foreseen the end of Young's reign as the queen of New Zealand shot putting.

"After Valerie won the world youth title in Hungary last year, I wrote in my diary that I felt she would break Val Young's record by January 2002," said Hellier. "I was wrong, it didn't happen until February 2. Damn."

In discus action, Adams provided 1997 world champion Beatrice Faumuina with her early competition.

Opening with 51.18m (a personal best), Adams then threw 52.68 and then 54.34m to break the national under-18 record (50.50m) set by Faumuina almost 10 years ago.

"I'm a little surprised she has done so well," said Hellier. "We have done only four sessions with the discus this year. I'm sure there is better to come."

Adams has qualified in shot, discus and hammer, but Hellier says she will, at most, contest only the shot and discus at the world junior championships in Kingston, Jamaica, in July.

"The final of the hammer is only a few hours before shot put qualifying so there is no chance of doing both."

Adams said she went into both competitions at the Sovereign Stadium feeling relaxed after good early season form.

"The shot felt good. I knew when it landed it was a big one," said Adams. "Getting that record was right up there with winning the world youth gold."

Faumuina, who held off Australian rival Alison Leaver, overcame a tentative start to take the lead with a fourth round 58.15m, was very happy to retake the lead at 60.88m before unleashing her season-best 64.25m fifth round winner.

"It was really pleasing to get out one like that," said Faumuina. "I'm a lot fitter now than when I went into the last Commonwealth Games. I'm not carrying any injuries which is great. I have suffered in the last three years so it is nice to bounce back.

"Everything since August 1997 [when she won New Zealand's only senior world championship] has been a struggle."

Under new coach Debbie Strange, Faumuina appears to have rediscovered her best form and shapes as the obvious early favourite for the Manchester Commonwealth Games where Leaver and perhaps the British will provide her stiffest opposition.

Completing a good trifecta in women's field events, long jumper Chantal Brunner finally nailed a Games qualifier with her winning 6.53m - 3cm better than the 6.50m target which has eluded the popular Counties athlete this season.

"I thought the standard was a bit hard but now I have done it, I just want to get on with it and chase my 6.68m personal best," said Brunner.

"I would like to get a couple of those really big ones which I have just fouled measured just to see how well I am going."

Brunner completed her night's work with a good win in the 100m where she held off Canterbury's Caro Hunt in a solid 11.71s.

Craig Barrett again failed in his attempt to break the national 5000m track record - held by Scott Nelson - but his winning time of 19m 45.40s, 14s clear of Ireland's Jamie Costin, was close to his season best and showed he is on target for his attempt on the 25-year-old 50km track record of 4h 30m in Christchurch in a couple of weeks.

"I'm happy with the way things are going," said Barrett, who admits he understands the importance of the 50km walk at the Manchester Commonwealth Games after his highly public failure in Kuala Lumpur in 1998.

"Last year was not a good year," said Barrett. "I had to reset my goals. Now, physically, everything is good."

Elsewhere, there was disappointment for Games hopefuls.

High jumper Glenn Howard never got into his competition.

He cleared 2.15m but missed three attempts at 2.20m - which he has cleared a couple of times this season - and eventually finished second behind Australian Jarred Poss, who managed 2.16m in a jump-off.

Top New Zealand pole vaulters Jenny Dryburgh and Melina Hamilton handed their event to Australian Bridget Isworth.

Shunning the opportunity to ease themselves in, Dryburgh and Hamilton came in at 3.80m - and missed all three attempts. Isworth cleared 3.90m at her second attempt and 4.00m at her first.

Jane Arnott ran the fastest women's 400m of the season. Her winning time of 53.09s getting closer to the 52.30s Games' qualifier.

In winning the senior 400m in 47.93s, Wellington's Tim Hawkes booked his ticket to the world junior championships.