Jacko puts a target on Rio hero Walsh
The youngster has revamped his approach and will enter more competitions this year, writes
power exercises such as bench press (246kg without a spotter), full squat (271kg), power clean (185kg), behind the neck jerk (200kg) and snatch (133kg) are phenomenal.
Throw in the fact he can run the 100m at a tick over 11 seconds - not bad for a bloke who sits between 118 to 124kg - and it’s easy to see why the 22-year-old’s potential in shot put remains scary.
But along with his shift in competing this year, Gill realises his mentality needs to change from pure strength to applying force at speed. Get strong, throw far is no longer the favoured method.
With that in mind, he’s assembled a team that features his parents, long-time coach Kirsten Hellier, High Performance Sport NZ biomechanics coach Mike Schofield and former NZ Olympic sprinter Mark Keddell.
Gill now appreciates he can’t CHRIS SKELTON/FAIRFAX NZ achieve his goals alone.
‘‘Right now I’m looking to train a bit differently and think about how I can move that ball faster. That’s the challenge to improve. It’s not about how heavy you can lift it’s about how fast you move the 7kg ball.’’
The first 16-year-old male to throw 20m, Gill hasn’t kicked on as many had hoped. But his fresh outlook and renewed drive towards this next four-year cycle has him well placed to mount a surge.
‘‘As a junior I put a lot of pressure on myself.
‘‘Everything was around distance and how fast I could do it but now it’s about the process, technique, staying injury-free and doing everything properly. I’m finally there now.
‘‘I’ve learnt a lot about myself and the sport. I’m in a really good place now. I know what I’ve got to do to throw far.’’