Walsh’s warning: Big one is coming
phillip.rollo@stuff.co.nz
A throw of 22-metres would have guaranteed a gold medal in all but four of the 16 editions of the World Athletics Championships, but defending shot put champion Tom Walsh concedes it may not be enough to podium in Doha.
‘‘If you throw 22.50m you give yourself a chance to win and I can’t really comment past that. If you throw 22-low then you may miss out on a medal,’’ Walsh said.
That is because the competition is at an all-time high heading into the world championships, with eight athletes breaking the 22m barrier at various stages of the year.
American Ryan Crouser (22.74m) and Brazilian Darlan Romani (22.61m) have both thrown further than Walsh this year, with Crouser’s mark even surpassing the Kiwi’s personal best of 22.67m.
‘‘At the moment it’s so tough and there’s probably six or seven guys who are capable of throwing the distance to win and it’s not mine to defend at all.’’
Although he has been unable to produce the personal bests that his rivals have, Walsh has enjoyed one of the most consistent years of his track and field career, breaking the 22m barrier at six different events.
He said that consistency suggested the ‘‘the big throw’’ was coming.
‘‘I’ve been more consistent than previous years and although I haven’t had the big throw as yet I’ve been more consistent over that 22m line, which is the big thing. I feel with that consistency it does give me room for the big one and does tell me the big one is coming and that we’re doing the right things,’’ he said.
Also competing in the men’s shot put next Friday is fellow Kiwi Jacko Gill, who is finally beginning to unlock his enormous potential after battling with heart problems over the past two years.
Although he is still some way off joining Walsh in the increasingly crowded 22m club, the 24-year-old has shown considerable improvements throughout the year to suggest he is on his way, hitting personal bests in each of his past three competitions.
His new best mark of 21.47m would have won him a bronze medal in 2017.
‘‘For Jacko to throw 21.50m, or his new PB is around that mark, is bloody good,’’ Walsh said.
‘‘I’m sure he’ll improve more and to be competitive he’ll need more too as he’s probably aware. But to have him so consistently up there now and throwing three PBS in a row is really good and it means that on a bad day for me he has the capability of beating me.’’
In the absence of Valerie Adams, Eliza Mccartney and Nick Willis, Walsh is easily New Zealand’s most highprofile athlete competing in Doha and the country’s best chance of winning a medal. But he said he was not feeling any added expectation. As the defending champion, there is already plenty of that.
The world championships begin tomorrow with Edward Osei-nketia (men’s 100m) and Julia Ratcliffe (women’s hammer throw) the only New Zealanders in action.