Report25 Mar 2018


Walsh blasts Oceanian shot put record of 22.67m in Auckland

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Tom Walsh in action in the shot put (© Getty Images)

World champion Tom Walsh smashed his own Oceanian shot put record with 22.67m at the Sir Graeme Douglas International Track & Field Challenge in West Auckland on Sunday (25).

In the three weeks since he successfully defended his world indoor title, Walsh has already won the New Zealand title with 21.58m, won in Timaru with 22.06m and in Christchurch with 21.65m.

But his win in Auckland on Sunday was his eighth consecutive victory of 2018 and his most impressive yet.

Walsh opened his series with 21.34m before unleashing his 22.67m effort in round two. He rounded out his series with 21.45m, 21.42m, a foul and 21.00m.

His winning mark not only improved his own outdoor Oceanian record by 46 centimetres, it was also an Oceania all-comers’ record and moves Walsh to equal sixth on the world all-time list. The last time anyone threw farther was back in 1990.

USA’s Ryan Whiting – like Walsh, a two-time world indoor champion – finished second with 20.99m, while Poland’s Konrad Bukowiecki was third with 20.75m.

Compatriot Valerie Adams improved her season’s best to 18.48m to win the women’s shot put on countback from Canada’s Brittany Crew.

Olympic bronze medallist Eliza McCartney won the pole vault with 4.75m, but was slightly disappointed with her performance, having recently cleared 4.90m in an exhibition competition.

Jon Mulkeen for the IAAF

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