World champ drops in to help out next generation
Henni Nation from Napier Girls’ High School found herself with adifferent coach during her recent workout at theHBCommunity Fitness Centre performance gym. Nick Palmer, junior world shot put champion, dropped by while at the centre for an AthleticsNZ performance camp.
Hawke’s Bay boy and world junior class shot put champion, Palmer still hasmomentswhenhe can’t quite believe his life.
FromhavingDameValerieAdams comeupto himto introduce herself whenhewas just starting his athletic career, to travelling to “interesting and different” places such as Finland and the Bahamas, to compete, and being interviewed on national television, the 20-year-oldKaramu High School old boy, is loving life. Not that it’s all easy.
There are plenty of ups and downs, he says.
Palmer wasrecently back in the Bay with Athletics NZ’s performance camp. Twenty international champions and those aspiring to becomeone, were training at the Hawke’s BayCommunityFitness Centre Trust performancegymand around Mitre 10 Park in Hastings for aweek.
Palmer took time out to support someof the region’s developing athletes as they worked on their strength and conditioning at the Trust’s performance gym.
Akid that always loved sports – rugby is his favourite, yet he played soccer and then cricket, Palmercame into athletics through his father, Bob, whohad been a keen athlete himself. Palmer says as a big kid he found that throwing events camepretty easy.
Now, though, he acknowledges that it’s the mental side of being an athlete that can be harder to master. “I’m naturally impatient, Iwant to makethings happen fast. I’m gradually coming to grips with the fact that things take time.
“I need to keep developing certain skills and strength to be able to throw the distance to compete.”
With the 2024 OlympicGamesin Paris firmly in his sights, Palmer is nowliving in Christchurch, where he trains alongside world champion shot putterTomWalsh under coaches HaydenHall and Dale Stevenson.
Sport is something Iwant to be involved in for the rest of my life. Nick Palmer
He’s also studying part time at Canterbury University toward a Bachelor in Sports Coaching.
“Sport is something Iwant to be involved in for the rest ofmylife.”
Hestarted working out in the shed thatwas the forerunner to the Trust’s EIT Institute of Sport& Health, which opened in 2019.
Hehad a bit of time enjoying the newperformancegymbefore heading to Christchurch and thinks it’s a great asset for kids in Hawke’s Baywhohave dreams to be world champions – like he does.