by Alfonz Juck
Tomas Walsh, photo by ParisDiamondLeague.com
Why do I love the shot put? It is about athlete vs. athlete. It is unguarded. The athletes have to call on an inner strength to focus all of their drive, technique and muscle memory into an eighteen to twenty three meterr throw.
Tomas Walsh knows how to call on his inner strength. Tomas Walsh is competitive. That smile hides little. He likes competition, and he respects his competition. He also knows that if he makes any mistake, then it is second place.
Tomas Walsh threw 21.70m today.
Brittany Crew defeated Valeria Adams, another competitive Kiwi.
Tomas Walsh, controlling the steel orb, photo copyright belongs with World Athletics
Walsh 21.70, Crew beats Adams
CHRISTCHURCH (NZL, Mar 6): New Zealand National Championships started with shot put duels on day one. 2017 World champion Tom Walsh won with outdoor WL 21.70 ahead of Jacko Gill who got 21.07. In women shot Canadian Brittany Crew with 18.88 beat Valerie Adams 18.73 and another Canadian Sarah Mitton 17.81. Julia Ratcliffe won hammer title with 70.31. The 100 m wins for Edward Osei-Nketia 10.46 (-0.2) and Zoe Hobbs 11.47 (+1.3). Hamish Kerr cleared 216 in high jump and Imogen Ayris with Olivia McTaggart went over 425 in the pole vault. Quentin Rew 11:58.24 and Alana Barber 13:16.91 won the 3000 m track walks.
