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Gong seals shot put dominance with gold

Amy TenneryAAP
Gong Lijiao of China has won her first Olympic shot put gold medal at her fourth Games.
Camera IconGong Lijiao of China has won her first Olympic shot put gold medal at her fourth Games. Credit: EPA

Reigning two-time world champion Gong Lijiao has produced a career-best throw of 20.58 metres to win the women's shot put gold medal as New Zealand great Valerie Adams completed her record fifth Olympic final with bronze.

Gong produced two efforts over 20 meters on her last two attempts and picked up her first-ever Olympic gold in her fourth Games, winning from American Raven Saunders (19.79) in blistering conditions at Tokyo's Olympic Stadium.

The top-ranked 32-year-old, who previously won silver in London and bronze in Beijing but missed out on the podium in Rio de Janeiro, let out a roar as she retained her claim as the sport's best.

"I think all my efforts were really worth it," said Gong, adding she already had another benchmark on her mind.

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"This is my 21st year that I have been training in shot put, I really think I can break the 21 metre (mark).

"I didn't do it today, but it's still very exciting and I'm very happy to win this campaign."

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Shot put's 36-year-old grand dame Adams proudly displayed a picture of her two children after claiming the bronze with 19.62m, as she capped a remarkable comeback to return to the top level of her sport following the birth of her son in 2019.

A two-time Olympic champion, she had already made history on Sunday as the first athlete to compete in five different Olympic shot put finals and as New Zealand's first woman to compete at five Olympics in track and field.

"I just hope to continue to inspire female athletes all around the world," said Adams. "If you want to have a kid and you want to come back and be at the top of the world, you can, you can absolutely do that."

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