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Valerie Vili celebrates her World Championship gold medal - Source: Reuters -
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World champion shot putter Valerie Vili and her coach Kirsten Hellier have plenty in common but the stars aligned a long time ago to seal their bond.
This Saturday Vili, who is back in New Zealand for a couple of weeks before returning to her gruelling training schedule, will celebrate her 25th birthday party but Hellier will be more than a token guest.
"This weekend Kirsten and I will celebrate our 65th combined birthday," Vili told ONE Sport's Toni Street in an exclusive web chat on tvnz.co.nz.
Hellier and Vili have combined to win an Olympic gold medal and back-to-back world titles in the women's shot-put and the 2008 Halberg award winner concedes that this sporting coincidence played a big part in the two teaming up in 1998.
"I think that was the breaking point and that was what made me talk to her a bit more because I quite a shy person," she said.
"I know it's hard to believe now but I didn't speak a lot but that was the breaking point (realisation of the same birthday) and that was what got us talking to each other more.
"She grew up in Samoa and I grew up in Tonga and the things we do have in common are awesome but that's what made our relationship far greater than normal."
Vili intends to holiday in Raratonga next month before returning to training with Hellier in Europe.
