Valerie Adams says she is looking forward to standing on the podium knowing "everything is legit" despite missing out on a third consecutive Olympic shot put title.
Adams, despite throwing a season's best of 20.42 metres, was denied the honour of becoming the first woman to win three successive individual Olympic athletics gold medals on Friday as Michelle Carter snatched top spot for United States.
Carter sealed gold with a throw of 20.63 metres - an American national record - that Adams was unable to come close to with her final effort.
The 31-year-old has stood on the top of the Olympic podium only once in her career, with her 2012 gold having been awarded to her after initial winner Nadzeya Ostapchuk was stripped of the title following a positive drugs test.
But Adams has no issue standing on the second step on this occasion, saying: "It is bittersweet but at the end of the day it's sport. "You have to take the good with the bad. I'm going to enjoy this moment.
"I've had five surgeries in the last three years. This time last year I had to cut my season short to have another knee surgery and continue rehab.
"It's been a very long and difficult journey. Where I am today, I must say it's been a struggle, it's been pretty intense.
"A lot of athletes would have given up and retired if they had to go through the same thing. But with a great team around me they've been able to help me get through this very difficult time. I persisted... and today goes to show hard work pays off.
"London was a whole different story with a whole different bunch of people, some very strange looking people. "I'm just happy to go on the podium tomorrow and know that everything is legit."
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