New Zealand's Valerie Adams won a record fourth women's shot put world title at the world athletics championships on Monday.

The 28-year-old two-time Olympic champion threw a best of 20.88 meters, while Germany's Christina Schwanitz took silver with a personal best of 20.41m.

China's Olympic bronze medalist Gong Lijiao had to again settle for third at a major championships with a throw of 19.95m.

"Yes, I made history becoming the four-time world champion and I think it's good for women's sport as a whole," said Adams.

"I win because I work hard. It's been an amazing evening. I'm just stoked, I'm over the moon.

"I tried to stay calm at the end and just think about what I needed to do and what I know I can do."

Adams, who only got promoted to Olympic champion last year after the original winner, Belarusian Nadezhda Ostapchuk, was stripped of the title for doping, was never behind, setting a high standard with her first effort of 20.41m.

Adams, whose father is English and mother Tongan, was especially delighted to have won the title after what had been a nightmare in London from start to finish as she had only been allowed to compete after an 11th hour appeal when New Zealand Olympic officials forgot to enter her.

"This win is very special, especially after what happened in London," she said.

"I am so excited winning the fourth world title. It was my plan to grab the lead from the opening throw so as to put pressure on the others.

"That was my 39th consecutive win, and I want to make it at least 40 in a row.

"I'm just super happy now. My aim was to dominate them, and I definitely did that."

American sprinter Allyson Felix won three successive 200m world titles between 2005 and 2009, but missed out in 2011 when she took bronze.

Cuban hammer thrower Yipsey Moreno also won three world titles in a row between 2001 and 2005, but was denied a fourth in Osaka in 2007 when she missed gold by just two centimeters.

(China Daily 08/14/2013 page23)