Crouser proves he really is the Big Shot

Tom Walsh extended his own New Zealand residents record, but it wasn’t enough to trump Olympic gold medallist Ryan Crouser at the Big Shot in Christchurch.

Competing for just the second time this year yesterday, Walsh managed a best throw of 21.46m in the second round, only for the big American to respond in emphatic fashion a few moments later

Crouser, who won gold in Rio with a 22.52m bomb last year, hit the front for good after unleashing a 22.05m effort.

It also gave the 24-year-old the New Zealand all-comers record, which Walsh held for all but a couple of minutes.

‘‘That surprised me a little bit,’’ Crouser said, referring to his winning distance.

‘‘I was hoping to be real consistent at 21m. I’m in heavy strength training so the speed kind of wasn’t quite there. I felt good but I felt a little bit out of control.

‘‘It’s a good sign to be able to throw 22m. So to do that purely on strength right now, I was a little surprised.’’

Crouser, who predicts himself, Walsh and American Joe Kovacs will lead the pursuit of Randy Barnes’ 27-year-old world record (23.12m) in the next couple of years, was more than 2m better than he opened up with last year.

Walsh, who recorded fouls on three of his six attempts, said he wasn’t surprised Crouser delivered such a monster throw so early in the year.

‘‘I knew Ryan was in very good shape. So if I was allowed to bet on the competition, I would have bet on him,’’ the Olympic bronze medallist said.

However, he wasn’t downcast after his second-placing, particularly after extending his NZ residents record from 21.11m to 21.46m.

‘‘Any day you throw over 21m is a good day and Ryan Crouser had a cracking day throwing over 22m,’’ Walsh said.

Walsh, who boasts a personal-best of 22.21m, blamed his three no throws on ‘‘trying a little bit too hard’’ and the fact his timing in the circle wasn’t quite right.

‘‘When I let go my timing just comes and is bang on and every throw is like the other throw,’’ he said. ‘‘At the start it was a little bit off, turning a little bit too much at the front of the circle rather than getting right behind the shot.’’

In what was labelled the best field of shot putters put together on New Zealand soil, Aucklander Jacko Gill came third with a 20.69m throw.

Gill, last year’s winner, couldn’t surpass his 21.01m personal-best, but edged out Aussie Damien Birkenhead and American Ryan Whiting, the twotime world indoor champion.

Kiwi Ryan Ballantyne, 18, won the junior event with a 19.54m throw and threw 16.18m with the heavier shot.

Earlier, Kiwis Angie Petty and Hamish Carson had to settle for second and third in the 1km street race.

Despite finishing strongly, Petty couldn’t haul in Australian Heidi See, finishing 0.74sec behind See, who won in 2min 39.11sec.

Aussies Luke Matthews (2min 19.24sec) and Jordi Williamsz (2min 19.92sec) beat out Carson in the men’s race, with the Wellingtonian crossing third in 2min 21.40sec.