'An incredible warmth': Dame Valerie Adams, Sir Wayne Smith lead tributes to Phil Gifford

Dame Valerie Adams has paid tribute to Phil Gifford after the legendary Kiwi sports journalist, broadcaster and writer died on Tuesday night. 

Across his more than 50 years working in media, Gifford was a man of many hats, hosting several radio shows, working as a sports journalist, columnist and author, both under his own name and that of his satirical alter-ego, Loosehead Len. 

Among his work, the Officer of the New Zealand Order of Merit worked with four-time Olympic medallist shot putter Adams on her 2012 book Valerie, The Autobiography. 

Adams told the Mike Hosking Breakfast show on Newstalk ZB of her “amazing relationship” with Gifford, who died aged 79. 

“The first memory is actually walking into his home in Stillwater. At the time, his wife was very unwell, so they were embarking on their own journey there, but [I] walked in and being greeted by amazing tapa cloth in the hallway, so many Polynesian artefacts in their house and just an incredible warmth within the home,” she said. 

“When he invited me into his little man cave to start the book, I just felt really at ease, and that just shows the kind of man he was. Not only him but also his wife. I came into their life starting this journey of having my book written, but also our relationship just blossomed to the point where, when I was living in Switzerland, they came to visit me, [they’d] come to see me compete at the Commonwealth Games, multiple competitions, helped with my kids. 

“Living in Christchurch during Covid, they made me feel at home, so I was like their Tongan child that never existed but just popped up.” 

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