The Retirement Thread

[Tuariki]

She just announced it in a press conference (I was watching here: https://www.rnz.co.nz/news/national/...ddresses-media)

She has been an incredible performer for New Zealand and a great inspiration to others. For such a small country we have an amazing number of international quality throwers.

And much of that success is because of Val. And also I should not forget Beatrice Faumuina.

[18.99s]

The rumour has it that Dame Valerie Adams will officially announce her retirement today.

Personally, I hope it is typical social media fake news. But I suspect not.

After all those injuries and surgeries, I thought she would have retired after the 2016 Olympics, by which time she'd already accumulated a legendary list of accomplishments. I'm surprised she kept competing this long.

[aaronk]

In the space of a few days, the World Women's Shot Put cast has lost two of the All Time greats!
Competitively speaking, that is!!!
Both will be missed from the competitive scene!
For me, especially Valerie Adams!
What an amazing career she's had!!
(BTW, I watched her speech, and didn't even know she has a younger sister who competes in the Para's!!
Apparently, after getting the Bronze in Tokyo last year, she stayed there to coach sister Lisa in the Paralympics!!)

[Tuariki]

In the space of a few days, the World Women's Shot Put cast has lost two of the All Time greats!
Competitively speaking, that is!!!
Both will be missed from the competitive scene!
For me, especially Valerie Adams!
What an amazing career she's had!!
(BTW, I watched her speech, and didn't even know she has a younger sister who competes in the Para's!!
Apparently, after getting the Bronze in Tokyo last year, she stayed there to coach sister Lisa in the Paralympics!!)

Coached Lisa to gold and a world record.

[nztrackfan]

She just announced it in a press conference (I was watching here: https://www.rnz.co.nz/news/national/...ddresses-media)

New Zealand's greatest ever sports person - male or female. She first represented NZ at the World Youth Champs in 1999 and finished 10th in the final with 12.82m(!). Two Olympic gold, 4 World champs outdoors, 4 World Indoors. What a career!!!

[Tuariki]

New Zealand's greatest ever sports person - male or female. She first represented NZ at the World Youth Champs in 1999 and finished 10th in the final with 12.82m(!). Two Olympic gold, 4 World champs outdoors, 4 World Indoors. What a career!!!

For TnF perhaps, although many would go for Peter Snell, at least for TnF.

For all sports, I think she trails Lisa Carrington's 5 Olympic Golds, including a 3peat plus 10 world championship golds.

However, an incredible career for Val, and only missing WRs because of PEDs

[Tuariki]

https://www.stuff.co.nz/sport/women-in-sport/300529047/dame-valerie-adams-bows-out-as-a-towering-figure-of-new-zealand-sport

Article on Val

[El Toro]

After all those injuries and surgeries, I thought she would have retired after the 2016 Olympics, by which time she'd already accumulated a legendary list of accomplishments. I'm surprised she kept competing this long.

Yes, I'm glad that she's retired still close to the top of her game. She's made a sensible decision and I know she will smile one day in the near future when she realises she got out of bed and got on with her day without any aches or pains.

[nztrackfan]

For TnF perhaps, although many would go for Peter Snell, at least for TnF.

For all sports, I think she trails Lisa Carrington's 5 Olympic Golds, including a 3peat plus 10 world championship golds.

However, an incredible career for Val, and only missing WRs because of PEDs

I think her longevity and World dominance in her event gets her (just) ahead of Snell. Lisa Carrington is great but T&F is a much more global sport - at school plenty of us have tried a shot put, run a 100 meters, or tried a long jump. Not many of us have even been in a canoe/kayak, let alone tried racing one!!

[bambam1729]

For TnF perhaps, although many would go for Peter Snell, at least for TnF.

For all sports, I think she trails Lisa Carrington's 5 Olympic Golds, including a 3peat plus 10 world championship golds.

However, an incredible career for Val, and only missing WRs because of PEDs

Might want to tell people on this board who Lisa Carrington is, Tuariki. She's a sprint canoeist - 5 gold medals, 6 Olympic medals from 2012-2020. Still competing

[Tuariki]

Might want to tell people on this board who Lisa Carrington is, Tuariki. She's a sprint canoeist - 5 gold medals, 6 Olympic medals from 2012-2020. Still competing

Thanks for that bambam. Lisa is now targeting Paris. Unfortunately she won’t get the 4-peat as her 3-peat event, the 200m has been scrapped. She is an incredible athlete and should add to her gold collection.

[Wiederganger]

So sad but not surprising, to read about both Adams & Schwanitz. I was hoping they would both continue for one more year, especially Adams, who was still competitive for medals. Her Olympic medal tally is amazing, and she was somewhat unlucky not to get gold in 2016, were it not for Carter's freak throw, something the American never did before or after. It was sad she never got to stand at the top of the rostrum in 2012 as she should have, too, but at least she got the gold. Her run of gold medals from 2006 to 2014 was superb.

Schwanitz was a bit like her compatriot, discus thrower Franka Dietzsch, who excelled at the Worlds but was never at her best in Olympic years. Another great competitor like Adams, but the injuries are just too much, and motherhood takes over.

As for Gatlin, there is no doubt he was talented, and a great competitor, but add me to the list that won't miss him. As much as I can admire his tenacity and mettle, I can't forgive his steroid ban. But as with any retiring athlete, I wish him luck in whatever he chooses to do.

[Fortius19]

So glad Adam's medaled in her last major! I was really hoping to see her get 70 feet (21.34m) one day.

[ATK]

Chaunte Lowe seems to be officially retiring.

She didn't compete between 2018-2020 and was diagnosed with breast cancer in 2019. She fully recovered and competed a few times in 2021.

In Beijing 2008, she originally placed 6th in the high jump, but moved up to Bronze after 3 athletes were later DQed

[ATK]

Allyson Felix retiring after 2022: https://www.instagram.com/p/CcTQdm4PHT9/

"As a little girl they called chicken legs, never in my wildest dreams would I have imagined I’d have a career like this. I have so much gratitude for this sport that has changed my life. I have given everything I have to running and for the first time I’m not sure if I have anything left to give. I want to say goodbye and thank you to the sport and people who have helped shape me the only way I know how—with one last run. This season isn’t about the time on the clock, it’s simply about joy. If you see me on the track this year I hope to share a moment, a memory and my appreciation with you.

Here’s to my final season"