Walsh puts it on line for pupils
ONE of New Zealand’s best athletes provided some lastminute inspiration to a group of Wakatipu High School pupils yesterday, before the Southland Athletics Championships in Invercargill today.
Olympic shot put bronze medallist Tom Walsh made a surprise visit to the school yesterday afternoon to practise for the national championships in Hamilton next weekend, watched by a group of athletics pupils and the year 10 sports science class.
In Queenstown for the New Zealand Golf Open, which began yesterday, Walsh quipped before his session at the high school he hoped his ball throwing form would be better than his ball hitting.
He finished his first round at The Hills with professional Shaun Jones fourunder.
Chatting with the athletics pupils he asked, ‘‘Who is going to win? Who’s confident?’’
When noone responded he gave them some advice.
‘‘You’ve got to be confident in your own ability. You’ve got to go for it.’’
Between his throws — hampered by lowhanging branches of a tree planted near the throwing circle — he invited the pupils to ask questions.
The first: ‘‘How many WeetBix do you eat?’’
‘‘I don’t really eat WeetBix too much,’’ Walsh replied.
‘‘I’m 125kg — it’s more of a struggle to keep my weight on. I eat massive amounts though: protein and veges.’’
WHS sports coordinator James Munday said Walsh’s visit was a rare opportunity for the children to watch and learn from one of the world’s best.
‘‘We don’t get anything like this normally, so it’s cool.’’
Mr Munday had high hopes for the pupils competing in Invercargill and expected some would be national champions in their disciplines by the end of the year.