‘Annoyed’ Walsh ends campaign with rare off-night

Ouch. This one hurt more than any torn groin muscle ever could for world shot put champion Tom Walsh.

A great year for the New Zealand colossus came to a gruesome finish in Brussels at the Diamond League final yesterday when, for the first time in an age, the parttime builder from Christchurch by way of Timaru failed to nail a strong finish to his season.

Walsh ended up a disappointing sixth in his final event of the northern summer with a best throw of just 21.38 metres in downtown Brussels on the eve of the main meet. He was all sorts of daylight behind shock American winner Darrell Hill who tossed out a career-best 22.44m to set a meet record and pip US Olympic champion Ryan Crouser (22.37m) at the post.

Olympic and world champs silver medallist Joe Kovacs completed an all-american podium to finish third with 21.62m.

Walsh’s second-round best effort for the day was 76cm behind his season best, and his sixth-place finish was his worst major competition result since 2014 when he twice held the same spot while still emerging as a world-class purveyor of his trade.

It also broke a run of results for 2017 that had never seen Walsh finish outside the top two in a major meet, and was the first time he had placed outside the first three at this level since the 2015 world championships in Beijing, where he was fourth.

In other words, Mr Consistency had an uncharacteristically bad day at the office.

‘‘I’m really pissed off that I finished this way,’’ said Walsh from Brussels.

‘‘I’m annoyed because I’m in way better shape than that. I’ve been throwing way better in training, but no one cares what you throw in training. If you can’t do it in a competition then that’s just the way it is.

‘‘It’s one you’ve got to take on the chin. It does hurt to finish a season like that but it’s done now and I can’t change it.’’

The rare misfire saw the world champion from London in August miss out on a potential Diamond League payday of US$50,000 which was nabbed by Hill. Walsh did pick up US$4000 (NZ$55700) for sixth to add to his booty from London and earlier meets.

‘‘Mentally, I just wasn’t there,’’ added a clearly frustrated Walsh between gritted teeth. ‘‘I was trying too hard, and when I try too hard it doesn’t work and I just couldn’t let that go. Usually I can find a way to sort it out, but not today.

‘‘It definitely makes me hungry for next year. I couldn’t ask for a better year and have been very consistent between 21.50 and the 22m line, apart from this comp. To finish on this really annoys and frustrates me. The good thing is I know what I was doing wrong, and I know how to fix it.’’

Now home calls, and that house he’s building on his Christchurch sub-division.

‘‘I’ve been away since May, so it’s going to be great to get home. I’ve got to do something on the house to say I’ve built it. If I’m there for one day, does that count?’’