Athletics: Valerie's the hottest-shot around

By MURRAY McKINNON and NZPA

She's 16, 6ft 4in (1.93cm) tall, and loves her taro - and she's just shot New Zealand back into the international athletic limelight.

Valerie Adams has won the World Youth Championships shot-put title in Debrecen, Hungary.

The Southern Cross Campus sixth former joins Beatrice Faumuina as the only New Zealanders to win a world field title.

Adams was in superb form to take the under-18 title with a mighty performance of 16.87m, 1.64m ahead of Michelle Carter of the United States.

Adams opened with 16.71m, her winning put was followed by a 16.45m in the third round. She countered a foul in the fourth round with throws of 15.92m and 16.84m in the final two rounds.

Adams celebrated her victory with her coach, Kirsten Hellier, silver medallist in the javelin at the 1994 Victoria Commonwealth Games.

"Delighted and extremely happy," was Adams' response to the win.

She was so focused on the event the very hot conditions at the stadium had not got to her.

It has not been an easy path for Adams, having to endure a tough time six months ago when her mother, to whom she was very close, died.

The world title capped an outstanding two days for the Tongan, who smashed the championship record and her own New Zealand under-20 and 18 records with a heave of 17.08m in preliminaries.

Adams is now poised to break the legendary Val Young's New Zealand record of 17.26m set at the 1964 Tokyo Olympics.

Young described Adams' effort as "absolutely amazing."

She was delighted that someone was finally challenging her record.

"Wow! That's really good," she said of Adams becoming the second New Zealander to crack 17m.

"She will go on from here," Young said.

"I am very pleased."

Young, who won a record 37 national titles, watched Adams compete in a national secondary schools' meeting 18 months ago and was very impressed.

"I liked the look of her. She has got the right body type."

She likened Adams' physique to that of the best European throwers.

President of the New Zealand Olympic Committee John Davies said it was a fabulous performance.

"I know that Valerie is a hard-working athlete with a lot of talent and she and her coach Kirstin are to be congratulated on doing such a fine job."

Beatrice Faumuina was also full of praise.

"I am delighted. It was fantastic to hear the news for her and her coach. It's amazing that she is going so well. I just hope she keeps on going and they receive all the support they deserve."

Southern Cross Campus director John Clark described Adams as an "absolutely wonderful young woman."

"She's man-mountain. I'm six feet two and I look up to her. The kids at school are just in awe of her because she's such a gentle warm-natured person."

The school would hold a ceremony to celebrate her win when she returned.

Based on last year's rankings, Adams' 17.08m shot-put would rank her third in the Commonwealth, setting her up for selection to next year's Commonwealth Games in Manchester.

Manager of the team in Hungary Brett Addison said the championships had gone very well for the New Zealanders, with a gold medal and three others in finals.