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Samsung Diamond League Ambassador - Valerie Vili

Chat with the World and Olympic Shot Put champion


5 August Start time 5:30 PM End time 6:00 PM CET (GMT+2hrs)

2 August 2010 – Stockholm, Sweden - New Zealand’s Valerie Vili has won all there is to be won at a global level in the women’s Shot Put! In her illustrious career she has secured World and Olympic titles, World Indoor gold, the World Cup, as well as World Junior and Youth championships.

Since the loss of her World Indoor title in Doha back in March, Vili has been engaged in a titanic battle for top spot during the northern hemisphere’s outdoor season in the Samsung Diamond League with arch rival Nadezhda Ostapchuk of Belarus. In their last encounter which took place in Monaco on 22 July, the Kiwi lost by just 3 centimetres – 20.20 to 20.23m.

Vili will next be competing at the DN Galan’s Big Shot competition on Thursday 5 August, the day before the main Samsung Diamond League meeting takes place in the 1912 Olympic Stadium. Immediately after finishing her event, which takes place in the city centre in the picturesque Kungsträdgården, she has very kindly agreed to answer your questions in the latest of our webchats with the Samsung Diamond League Ambassadors.

THE CHAT IS NOW CLOSED

THANK YOU FOR ALL YOUR QUESTIONS AND TO VALERIE FOR SPENDING THE TIME WITH US TODAY

Samsung Diamond League

All questions Displaying records 1-23

05.08.2010 - 5:12 PM | by Fran Jee - London

Seen today's result. For all your fans talk us through it. Tech probs? After Monaco thought the curve was upward. best fran

Merlyn

Valerie Vili 6:00 PM Todays results was not exactly what I wanted but never the less you gotta take the positive out off every negative, as hard as it may be. THANKS ALL FOR ASKING QUESTION I HOPE THESE ANSWERS FIND YOU ALL WELL....GOD BLESS


05.08.2010 - 5:34 PM | by Cynthia Gerson - Birmingham

And 1 more if I may :) Are you a full-time athlete and what do you enjoy most about being an athlete? And what do you enjoy least?

Merlyn

Valerie Vili 5:53 PM I am a full time athlete and I enjoy bein able to do what I love and what I am good at. Its an honour to compete for my country. Least enjoyment is sometimes the travel to get here and loosing.


05.08.2010 - 4:33 PM | by Chris Jon - Kent

Jucvnk food or healthy?

Merlyn

Valerie Vili 6:01 PM Healthy, Everything in moderation, at the moment I am having a beer so its good.


05.08.2010 - 5:29 PM | by Green Pot Plant - Germany

Hi Val! How did you experienced the recent European track&field Championships in Barcelona? The Diamond League is currently touring Europe but at this event only your fellow competitors performed while you (for obvious reasons) could only watch.

Merlyn

Valerie Vili 5:56 PM Well for the Diamond League this is where I see these girls and off course I am not Europoean so I am not able to compete. But I think in general the Diamond League has given us all the opportunity to face easch other more times this year then we have before.,


05.08.2010 - 5:36 PM | by Gloria Williams - Columbus OH

What advice would you give young girls wanting to take up the shot how to be the best?

Merlyn

Valerie Vili 5:55 PM First of all enjoy what you do cause bein at the top off the World is not an easy task and 2nd be prepared to work hard. If it was easy....Everyone would be world and Olympic Champions.


05.08.2010 - 4:35 PM | by Mika M - Tampere

Do you think the records from the 80s should be removed?

Merlyn

Valerie Vili 5:53 PM No Comment


05.08.2010 - 5:40 PM | by Cheyenne Crick - portsmouth

Hi val, you rock! :) you've won lots of title - Youth, junior, senior World and Olympic titles, what’s the best memory?

Merlyn

Valerie Vili 5:50 PM The Olympics, Nothing can ever overtake that memory.


05.08.2010 - 5:45 PM | by Felipe F - Philadelphia

2 parts: Have you ever met John Walker and the other great Kiwis of the 70s/80s? and 2: Why are people form New Zealand called Kiwis? Fruit or the bird? Thanks!!!

Merlyn

Valerie Vili 5:49 PM Yes I have met all our great |Kiwi athletes, and I dont know why we are called Kiwi's


05.08.2010 - 5:45 PM | by Jamie Robbins - Concord

Who were your sports heroes as a child?

Merlyn

Valerie Vili 5:49 PM No one. My mother was my biggest motivation.


05.08.2010 - 5:39 PM | by Christian H - stockholm

Not your event I know but Who’ll win tomorrow - Bolt or Gay?

Merlyn

Valerie Vili 5:48 PM gutt feeling Bolt, but I think Gay would give him a good run


05.08.2010 - 5:36 PM | by Green Pot Plant - Germany

When you are on tour how does your daily routine differ from that when you are back in Auckland?

Merlyn

Valerie Vili 5:47 PM Here there is more of down time while I am away from aucklant so its good for me to train hard and concentrate without worrying about tom, Dick and Harry!!!


05.08.2010 - 5:30 PM | by Gerald F - London

U won everything what’s next 4 u?

Merlyn

Valerie Vili 5:46 PM I have but I have more to give and to get out of myself as a shotputter. I believe there is more distance to be achieved. This makes me more hungry for the future.


05.08.2010 - 5:32 PM | by Cynthia Gerson - Birmingham

Watched Ostapchuk at the European champs. Great throws! Are you and Ostapchuk friends?

Merlyn

Valerie Vili 5:45 PM They were good throws, we are amicable. She does what she needs to do and so do I.


05.08.2010 - 4:46 PM | by Chris Jon - Kent

another qu. What made you choose the Shot Put?

Merlyn

Valerie Vili 5:41 PM I was the biggest kid at school bein 1.93m tall at the age of 12 so I was good from a young age. We clicked together the shotput and myself. I use to play the Basketball ,


05.08.2010 - 5:11 PM | by Adewale Olukoju - USA

With your coaching change, be patient with the new things you are learning. It will take you sometime next season before you start feeling comfortable and throwing further. Improve your left side/block.

Merlyn

Valerie Vili 5:43 PM Working on it thanks


05.08.2010 - 4:48 PM | by Sue Major - Sydney

thks for taking this time to chat. Do field eventers get their fair share of publicity?

Merlyn

Valerie Vili 5:43 PM I think there could be more for field events as I believe we are just as extraordinary as sprinters are. And more beautiful...wink wink


05.08.2010 - 4:42 PM | by James Amori - Atlanta

Did the split with your coach Kirsten upset your preparations this season and who is coaching you now?

Merlyn

Valerie Vili 5:43 PM It was a hard year with all that happening, but you gotta get on with it and now new coach Didier Poppe has been in the picture since April. Its a transisiton year


05.08.2010 - 4:45 PM | by CB CB - Wellington

You were honored by New Zealand in 2009, as good a feeling as an Olympic title? Night, night! :) :)

Merlyn

Valerie Vili 5:39 PM the olympic games tops every prize that you may recieve, I sweated for 10 years to achieve so definantly not,.


05.08.2010 - 4:42 PM | by Louisette Thurn - Madrid

How hours many u tarain? what can you bench press?

Merlyn

Valerie Vili 5:34 PM I train 6 days a week twice a day and bench press 175kg power bench, squat 200kg, but the aim is to move a heavy weight as fast as possible


05.08.2010 - 4:37 PM | by J J - visiting Stockholm

Luv you Val! What’s the best about being in athletics and worst about all the travel

Merlyn

Valerie Vili 5:32 PM The best part is traveling the world meeting new people and doing something that I love. The travel from NZ to Europe speaks for itself, 30 hours to get here


05.08.2010 - 4:34 PM | by Marcel France - London

As a teenager in Auckland did you ever believe you would become World or Olympic champion?

Merlyn

Valerie Vili 5:31 PM No not at all but I am very happy to have achieve this for my small country


05.08.2010 - 4:26 PM | by Jake Elliza - London

Hello Valerie! Do you believe you can beat Nadezhda Ostapchuk the next time you copete against one another? If you do why and if you dont why? Thanks :) xxx

Merlyn

Valerie Vili 5:30 PM I believe it will be a tough challenge but I love the competition and also look forward to throwing against her.


05.08.2010 - 4:30 PM | by Samsung Diamond League Moderator - Stockholm

The women's competition is already underway and fast approaching the midway point, therefore we will open the site to questions a few minutes early. Ask away, and Valerie will join us in just over an hours time as planned.

Merlyn

Valerie Vili 4:29 PM