Valerie Adams puts in Zürich's main station shot contest - Samsung Diamond League (© Jean-Pierre Durand)
Zürich, SwitzerlandThe Weltklasse Zürich meeting, the first of the two finals of theSamsung Diamond League, was opened by the two Shot Put competitions which took place at the Zürich Main Railway Station tonight (7) on the eve of tomorrow’s main meeting in the Letzigrund Stadium.
Olympic and three-time World champion Valerie Adams from New Zealand and World silver medallist Dylan Armstrong from Canada emerged as the winners of two exciting shot put contests which took place at a temporarily constructed arena located in the station hall. The large enthusiastic crowd enjoyed the exciting atmosphere which took place to the energetic beat of pop and rock music.
Adams capped her perfect season with another solid win with 20.51 and lifted the Diamond Trophy with 24 points thanks to five wins out of five competitions (Oslo, Paris, Stockolm, London and Zurich). Adams, World champion last week in Daegu with an impressive national record of 21.24, opened with 19.87 and then produced five releases over the 20 metres barrier (20.09-20.33-20.32-20.51-20.35). Adams, who was last defeated by Nadezhda Ostapchuk from Belarus in 2010 in Zürich, increased her unbeaten streak to 14 wins in a row.
Last year’s European champion and 2010 Diamond Race winner Nadezhda Ostapchuk came very close with 20.48 in the fifth attempt in her only release over 20 metres. Ostapchuk’s series was 18.98-19.02-foul-19.91-20.48-19.59. US Jillian Camarena Williams finished third with 19.64 in the third round.
“I enjoyed competing in the railway station. There were many supporters from New Zealand and Magglingen where I have been training since last year. The competition was very consistent and I am very happy with the results I achieved this year. In 2010 I finished second many times,” said Adams.
The men’s contest, whose final will take place in Brussels on 16 September, was very exciting and featured five men over the 21 metres barrier. US former World champion Reese Hoffa was in the lead after the first two attempts with 21.39 ahead of fresh Germany’s World champion David Storl (21.23) and Olympic champion Tomas Majewski (21.12) from Poland. Majewski came very close to Hoffa with a release to 21.38 metres in the third round. Dylan Armstrong, fourth after the first two rounds with 20.85, improved to third place with 21.35 in the third attempt.
In the fourth round Majewski produced another put over 21 metres with 21.25. The Pole bounced back from his ninth place in Daegu with a very consistent series in which he put five times over the 21 metres barrier (he put 21.12 and 21.28 in the final two rounds).
The final round produced the final fireworks. Armstrong took the win with a big shot to 21.63. US Ryan Whiting, who did not put further than 20.11 until the fifth attempt, clinched second place with 21.52 in the sixth round overtaking Hoffa, Majewski and Storl.
“I want to thank the organizers for their effort. It was great to compete in a railway station. I am pleased because I was consistent the whole year,” said Armstrong.
Diego Sampaolo for the IAAF
