Thirty-two years after her father won a silver medal for shot put in the 1984 Olympics, Michelle Carter can now claim family bragging rights after going one better and striking gold here on Friday.
The 30-year-old from California stunned two-time champion Valerie Adams of New Zealand in a dramatic shot put final at Rio’s Olympic Stadium, recording a personal best with her last throw of 20.63m.
It was a sensational victory for Carter, a professionally qualified make-up artist who also campaigns to improve attitudes towards body image via a sports-confidence camp called “You Throw Girl.”
Carter is trained by her father Michael, who went on to have a successful career in American football with the San Francisco 49ers after switching from track and field following his silver in the 1984 Games.
“I’ll be going around the house saying ‘Yeah daddy — I got you!’. It feels awesome,” a delighted Carter said. “Me and him have a running joke. I’ve won more high school championships, he’s won more college championships. I always told him it’s going to take the cake if I win the Olympic gold, and today it’s happened.”
New Zealand star Adams, winner in 2008 and 2012, finished with silver after a best throw of 20.42. Adams looked to be firmly on course for gold after taking the lead on her second attempt. No other woman in the field had broken 20m until Carter conjured up a monumental final effort to take the lead.
She then faced a nerve-wracking finale as Adams attempted to regain the lead with her last throw. Adams broke 20m again but her effort of 20.39 was not enough.
Adams had been aiming to become the first woman to win three consecutive golds in an individual event following wins in 2008 and 2012. But while she remained disappointed she was gracious in defeat, and took satisfaction from making the podium after battling back from a litany of injuries.
“It’s tough but it’s sport. You have to take it on the chin,” Adams said. “At the last moment I was like, ‘Okay, shit, I’ve got to pull out something here. And I came up short. I have to take it and reflect back on the road that I’ve had. It’s been a tough road for me to even be here,” said Adams, who has had five surgeries in the last three years. To make it to the final and get a medal is pretty awesome. I left my heart out there. I cannot ask for more than that.”
Adams was also looking forward to receiving her medal in front of a stadium last night. She was presented with her gold from 2012 a month after the Games in a private ceremony after it emerged that Nadzeya Ostapchuk of Belarus had failed a dope test. “It will be nice to be on the podium and to look around and for it to feel legit,” Adams said.