Process over outcomes for Walsh
Tom Walsh has given up chasing the world shot put record.
It’s not that he’s lost the belief he can reach the mark, it’s just a matter of forgetting the record and sticking to the process.
Walsh, the world and indoor champion, has been closing in on the world record of 23.12 metres set in 1990 by American Randy Barnes, who was banned for using anabolic steroids a few months later, over the last 18-months.
With a personal best of 22.67m set in Auckland in March last year, Walsh got everyone excited, including himself, when he hurled a 22.45m monster in his opening throw of qualifying at last year’s Commonwealth Games on the Gold Coast.
When he returned next evening, Walsh, with the record in the forefront of his mind, could only manage 21.41m in a gold medal-winning performance.
‘‘I started listening to a bit of white noise and it got the better of me and I ended up throwing a metre less,’’ Walsh told Stuff.
‘‘It’s because I thought I was going to do it so I learnt from that and now we’ve moved on to probably a better understanding for myself.’’
For Walsh, the Olympic bronze medallist from Rio, staying focused on the process of throwing big rather than getting caught up in the outcome of the throw is the key.
‘‘It’s not something you want to chase. It’s one of those throws that when you do it, it’s just going to happen for you so you have to be patient.’’
Fresh from winning the Supreme Halberg Award and the New Zealand Sportsman of the Year gongs at the 56th Halberg Awards last month, Walsh will get another chance at the record when the national championships – last held in Christchurch at the now earthquake destroyed QEII Park Stadium in March
2010 – return to the city.
In 2010, Walsh recorded a throw of
18.76m to finish second in the 19 and under shot put final to Jacko Gill
(19.92m).
Walsh will be one of the headline acts when the championships start at Nga¯ Puna Wai sports hub on Friday and competing in front of a home crowd is a major highlight for the Timaru-born but Christchurch-based Walsh.
‘‘It definitely brings a lot more meaning for me,’’ Walsh told Stuff.
‘‘We were very lucky to bring the Timaru Super Shot to Timaru last year. It was something pretty special and being back in Christchurch and putting on an event that I think people are really going to enjoy is really cool as well.’’
Walsh is buzzing about having the nationals back in Christchurch and the high-profile entries that will be there.
‘‘To have the pole vault field with Eliza McCartney and Olivia McTaggart there and a really great field in the men’s and women’s shot [put] is really exciting and I’m sure the people of Christchurch will enjoy it.’’
McCartney, McTaggart and Walsh will also compete at tomorrow’s Lincoln University Street Athletics Festival.
Walsh has already competed twice in 2019 – at the Potts Classic and Canterbury championships – and rates himself about 85 per cent of where he would be going into a major international competition.
‘‘This is probably the first one this year that I’ll be in, somewhat, good shape for.’’
‘‘The most important time of the year for me to throw far is August and September because that’s when the major champs are but in saying that there’s no reason why I can’t throw really well in Christchurch.’’
Next year’s Tokyo Olympic Games are never far from Walsh’s thoughts but September’s IAAF world championships in Doha and next year’s world indoor championships in March plus the Diamond League meetings he will compete in also command plenty of Walsh’s attention.
‘‘If I take care of worlds this year and world indoors next year it puts me in a really good spot going into the Olympics.’’