Olympic champion Valarie Allman gets engaged to coach Zeb Sion days after becoming 1st American woman to win successive discus throw golds

By Neelabhra Roy

Modified Aug 15, 2024 21:36 GMT

Valarie Allman has announced her engagement to her coach Zeb Sion. This news comes just days after the 29-year-old won her second succesive Olympic gold in discus throw at the recently-concluded Paris Games.

Allman has been training with Sion at the University of Texas, where the latter is an assistant coach for throws, as per their 2024/25 track and field roster. As an athlete, Sion competed in shot put as well as in discus throw, with career-best throws of 18.34m and 50.63m respectively.

He worked with Allman in two editions of the Olympics in Tokyo and Paris, with the latter winning gold on both occasions. Her recent triumph, which came just three days before Sion's birthday, made her the first American woman to win consecutive discus throw golds at the quadrennial event.

Just days after this achievement, Valarie Allman announced her engagement to Sion. The 29-year-old shared a few pictures on Instagram, flaunting her engagement ring.

"La dolce vita," Allman captioned her post along with a flurry of emojis.

She also shared the post on her Instagram stories, with her caption referring to her Olympic gold as well as her engagement.

"Best week ever," the caption read.

Valarie Allman's Instagram story (Source: Valarie Allman Instagram)

At the Paris Olympics, Allman's best throw in the final reached a distance of 69.50m, which was enough to help her secure the gold medal. As a matter of fact, all of her four legal throws went farther than those of her opponents.

She had previously won the discus throw gold medal at the Tokyo Olympics, clearing a distance of 68.98m in the final.

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"I can't believe it" - Valarie Allman on winning discus throw gold at Paris Olympics

Allman with her fellow Paris Olympics discus throw medalists (Source: getty)

Valarie Allman said that she was on "cloud nine" after winning her second Olympic gold in Paris.

"I am on cloud nine," she said as quoted by ESPN. "Until it was all done I didn't let myself believe it was going to be true. To walk away as champion, I can't believe it."

Prior to the Olympics, the American won every event she competed in 2024, starting with the Texas Relays in March, where she threw 67.98m. She also won four Diamond League events in Xiamen, Shanghai, Eugene, and Paris.

Allman has cleared 70m just twice in 2024 and both instances came during the Olympic Trials in Eugene. Her season best of 70.89m came during the qualifying round, while she threw 70.73m in the final.