Olympic Gold Medal Presentation

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Rau rangatira mā, e huihui nei, Ngāti Whātua Iwi, Te Whānau a Valerie, te hunga hākinakina katoa kei konei, i tēnei pō whakahirahira.  Tēnā koutou katoa.
Distinguished guests, members of the Olympic family, ladies and gentlemen; and I specifically acknowledge Valerie Adams, and your family and friends; good evening.

It is an honour to be here, among our country’s Olympic elite this evening, as we acknowledge Valarie Adams’ Olympic achievement.  Tonight, in front of an audience of four and a half million New Zealanders, and many others, I will present the 2012 London Olympic Games Gold Medal for Women’s Shot Put to Valerie Adams. 

Tonight, we reflect on the successes of all our Olympians, with great pride.  We can express the overwhelming enthusiasm that New Zealanders have in seeing our athletes excel on the world stage.  We can congratulate Valerie Adams of New Zealand, Yevgenia Kolodko of Russia and Gong Lijiao of China on winning gold, silver and bronze medals respectively at the 30th Olympiad.

However, as the founder of the International Olympic Committee, Baron Pierre de Coubertin, said: “The Games were created for the glorification of the individual champion.”  Valarie Adams you are the Women’s shot put Olympic champion of the 30th Olympiad.

Ms Adams, in the Olympic Stadium, on the 6th of August 2012, with the world watching, you put the shot out to 20.7 metres, it was the best clean shot that night.  Unfortunately, for circumstances we all know well, you were denied the opportunity of receiving this gold medal on the world stage.  You were denied the opportunity of standing at the top of the podium, hearing your national anthem and celebrating your success with the global audience. 

Ms Adams, this ceremony is the first time an Olympic gold medal has been presented in New Zealand.  I trust that this modest ritual will go some way in giving you the acknowledgement, satisfaction and honour that you rightfully deserve.  It sets right recognition of your efforts and the competition that was decided at the Olympic Games in London on the 6th August 2012. 

Valarie, your medal sits alongside those of your team-mates’ gold medals, which define all of you as Olympic champions and the best in the world in your sport.  Collectively, your results reflect perseverance, dedication, passion, hard work and excellence of the highest level.  In your case the result has the added dimension of proclaiming you as a double-Olympic champion.  These are things that all New Zealanders take great pride in.

Valerie, in the presence of those who are most special to you and on behalf of all New Zealanders and a great many others, I congratulate you.  Your Gold Medal symbolises an outstanding individual achievement, and your example captures the notion of athletic chivalry that Baron Pierre de Coubertin valued when he founded the modern Olympic Games.

Kia ora, kia kaha, kia manawanui, huihui tātou katoa.