Big goal: Valarie Allman has set sights on winning a World title.
| Photo Credit: ANI
As a two-time Olympic champion and the only American athlete to go beyond the 70m mark, discus thrower Valarie Allman is easily among the all-time greats of her sport. The 29-year old, however, remains hungry for more.
As the international brand ambassador for the Vedanta Half Marathon this year, Valarie is in the city, taking a break from her training in the off-season. And while the USA is a bonafide powerhouse in track & field, Valarie admits public recognition is not at par with the achievements US athletes manage at major competitions.
“The reality is that it’s so competitive in American athletics that there is no room to be sad or not push yourself, because someone else, regardless of the notoriety or the celebrations, is going to fight for that spot. I think the pride you feel for your nation is intrinsic. That is what you should want and that’s priceless, you don’t get paid for it.
“It comes from being at your best when that moment comes – and for track & field, that’s needing to perform well at the World Championships and the Olympics. It can be impactful and inspiring for other generations and can lead to better funding and facilities but yes, there is a lot of room for improvement,” Valarie said during an interaction here on Thursday.
Her personal best of 71.46m came in 2022 and was the farthest in almost 30 years – behind China’s Yanling Xiao 71.68m in 1992. But between gold at Tokyo and Paris, she had to settle for a bronze and silver at the 2022 and 2023 World Championships respectively.
“That Worlds gold has felt so elusive but I am very motivated to give my best and get that title. But a huge part of my motivation is to make the people around me proud, making it bigger than myself. Golds and dreams are always there – I am proud to have won the Olympics twice but at the two Worlds in between, I fell short,” she admitted.
Welcoming the prize money started by World Athletics for Olympic winners, Valarie hoped it trickled down to other sports as well.
Published – October 18, 2024 04:50 am IST
