It was indeed an eventful Day 1 of Track and Field events at the ongoing Olympic Games in Rio as USA’s Michelle Carter denied defending champion in the women’s Shot put, Valerie Adams the rare privilege of becoming the first woman in history to win three consecutive titles in the event.
The 30-year old had occupied 2nd position up till her last attempt in the sixth and final round, before unleashing a massive throw and National Record (NR) of 20.63m to take GOLD, thus erasing her former NR of 20.24m set at the 2013 US Trials.
Two-time Olympic Champion Adams tried to respond, but could only manage a distance of 20.39m, settling for her Season’s Best (SB) of 20.42m to win Silver.
Anita Marton of Hungary was delighted to take the Bronze medal with an NR of 19.87m, finishing ahead of China’s Lijiao Gong (19.39m) and World and European Champion, Christina Schwanitz who placed 6th with 19.03m.
Carter, the reigning World Indoor Champion, became the first American woman to medal at the Olympics in the Shot put event in 56 years, after Earlene Brown won Bronze at the 1960 Olympics in Rome. She also becomes the first ever American woman to win GOLD in the Shot put.
Incidentally, her father Michael Carter won Silver in the event at the 1984 Olympics in Los Angeles, and also serves as her coach.
