Valerie Vili from New Zealand was crowned in the women's shot put final at the Beijing Olympic Games on Saturday evening, adding the second gold medal to the country's haul in the tournament.
Vili, 23, defeated all other 14 opponents in the final with a 20.56 meters putting of the four-kilogram lump. She made the gold-winning put at her first attempt.
The Kiwi, bronze medalist in 2005 world championships, also achieved her personal best and all her attempts exceeded 20 meters. What would upset all others more is, no one else, except the silver medalist, ever made that distance in the competition.
"I was so emotional and happy. We achieved what we came here to do." Vili said. "I wanted to go in there and put pressure on the athletes and it worked."
Natallia Mikhnevich from Belarus, grabbed the silver medal with a throw of 20.28 meters in her second attempt. The 26-year-old did not catch up with her personal best which was 20.70.
"I am very satisfied with the result. I can get the result because I have an intensive training before the Olympic Games," said Mikhnevich who did not get a foul in all attempts.
Mikhnevich's fellow Nadzeya Ostapchuk won the bronze medal by a come-from-behind endeavor. She was behind Cuba's Misleydis Gonzalez until the fifth attempt in which she got a best result of 19.86 meters.
"It does not matter whether it is a gold medal or not, as long as it is a medal. My focus is not the result, the medal itself, but my performance," Ostapchuk said.
China's Gong Lijiao finished fitth, the best among all three Chinese qualifiers in the final. She made a put of 19.20 meters at the last attempt.
(Xinhua News Agency August 17, 2008)
