Tokyo Olympics: Dame Valerie Adams fires the shots as 15-strong NZ athletics squad unveiled

By One News / TVNZ and is republished with permission

More than half of the New Zealand athletics team set to compete at the Tokyo Olympics are throwers, led by Dame Valerie Adams who’ll be competing in her fifth games.

Dame Valerie Adams

But at the other end of the spectrum is rising discus star Connor Bell.

At 19 his career is just beginning, and Bell has the youthful enthusiasm to boot.

“I’m still 19, I’m still a teenager, it’s quite a spectacular achievement and I’m incredibly proud of it,” Bell said.

Despite only becoming serious about discus five years ago success didn’t take long to come by, winning a gold medal at the Youth Olympic Games just two years into the sport.

Bell says that initially, the sport was a way of silencing the school bullies, who saw the big country kid who grew up north of Auckland as a target.

“Many kids struggle with getting a hard time at intermediate school and it specifically got me down quite a lot and it’s actually been quite a driver in my passion to do the sport to find myself an identity,” he said.

His parents Jeanette and Stephen have worked hard to create an environment where he can be the best he can be.

“It’s cost us some repaired floorboards because he goes through the spinning routine in the lounge, dining room deck – to this day,”

With throwers usually having long careers, Tokyo is just the beginning and his mentor and now-teammate Dame Valerie Adams is an example of longevity.

Adams was year younger than Bell when she made her Olympic debut at the 2004 Athens games.

The three-time Olympic medallist says that Bell and the other young hopefuls can carry on the torch following her retirement.

“A few years ago I used to think if I retire who’s going to come through now you’re spoilt for choices so I hope from here it continues to grow,” Adams said.

About The Author

Sometimes when a business is growing, it needs a little help.

Right now Kaniva News provides a free, politically independent, bilingual news service for readers around the world that is absolutely unique. We are the largest New Zealand-based Tongan news service, and our stories reach Tongans  wherever they are round the world. But as we grow, there are increased demands on Kaniva News for translation into Tongan on our social media accounts and for the costs associated with expansion. We believe it is important for Tongans to have their own voice and for Tongans to preserve their language, customs and heritage. That is something to which we are strongly committed. That’s why we are asking you to consider sponsoring our work and helping to preserve a uniquely Tongan point of view for our readers and listeners.

spot_imgspot_imgspot_imgspot_img

Latest news

Related news