GoldmedallistAdamsretiresaftergivingitallshecould

• Published date: 10 April 2024
• Publication title: Otago Daily Times (New Zealand)

Adams, 33, said her retirement was effective immediately and she wanted to spend more time with 11-year-old son Hikairo

She leaves the sport after a six-year career that included two para world titles, gold at the Tokyo Paralympics, and a world record in the F37 shot put.

“It has not been an easy decision to retire from athletics,” Adams said.

“The sport has given me so much and many happy memories, but I just felt the passion and energy to keep training every day was no longer there.

“Some might wonder at the timing of my decision so close to the para athletics world championships and with the Paralympic Games on the horizon, but I felt I had given it all I could.’’

Diagnosed with left hemiplegia, a form of cerebral palsy, at an early age, Adams was a late starter to athletics.

Identified as an athlete of potential by Athletics NZ para lead Raylene Bates, who had read an article about Adams playing rugby, she was encouraged to try the shot put and discus.

She made her competitive debut aged 27 at the 2018 Victorian championships in Melbourne, and later that season she completed the para shot and discus double at the New Zealand championships.

Less than 18 months after taking up the sport, she produced a stunning display at the 2019 para athletics world championships in Dubai, dominating the final of the women’s F37 shot and setting a world record of 14.80m.

She bettered that mark with a huge toss of 15.28m in Christchurch before posting the existing world record of 15.50m in Hastings.

The Rotorua-based athlete maintained her dominance at the rescheduled Tokyo 2020...