New Zealand's Governor-General Sir Jerry Mateparae made the presentation at a special ceremony as fellow London 2012 medallists including Mahe Drysdale, Hamish Bond, Eric Murray, Lisa Carrington and Sarah Walker formed a guard of honour around Adams as she was presented with her gold medal.

Adams was upgraded to the gold medal position having origianlly finished second behind Belarussian Nadezhda Ostapchuk, who subsequently tested positive for banned anabolic steroids and was stripped of her victory. 

As the New Zealand flag was raised inside the Cloud, the flag on the Auckland Harbour Bridge was also raised, while the Sky Tower was lit up gold for the occasion.

The national anthem was performed by the choir from Adams' former high school Southern Cross Campus.

The medal ceremony was screened live on television, streamed online and shown on a big screen on Wellington's waterfront.

Fireworks lit up both Auckland and Wellington after the presentation. 

Valerie Adams and her sister watch the firework display over Auckland after she received her Olympic gold medal

An emotional Adams said that the ceremony on home soil made up for the moment she missed in London, when she should have been celebrating her second consecutive gold medal having won in Beijing four years ago. 

"Tonight's just been absolutely amazing, very overwhelming," said Adams, who had only arrived back in New Zealand from her training base in Switzerland this morning for the first time since London 2012. 

"It was actually fantastic, nothing out of my imagination, this is all perfect.

"I've been waiting for this for the last however many weeks, now it's finally here, I've got it!"

Contact the writer of this story at [email protected]


Related stories
September 2012: Disgraced Belarus shot putter escapes with one year ban after coach "admits" spiking her coffee
August 2012: Appeal by disgraced Belarus shot putter set to delay Adams' medal presentation
August 2012: New Zealander upgraded to London 2012 gold medal wins Stockholm Diamond League
August 2012: Olympic shot put champion stripped of gold medal after testing positive for drugs