New Zealand shot put Olympian Tom Walsh unleashed his longest throw since the 2019 World Championships and climbed to number five on the 2021 world lists with a confidence-boosting victory in the Music City Track Carnival in Nashville, Tennessee today.
Photo: PHOTOSPORT
The 29-year-old fired the 7.26kg shot out to 22.00m with his third round effort to secure top spot and bank back-to-back victories, following his triumph in last month's Doha Diamond League.
Today at the Montgomery Bell Academy, Walsh produced a solid series; opening with a 21.37m throw followed by a 21.66m before his impressive third round toss.
Walsh, competing in his now familiar 'Space for Rent' t-shirt, returned to the circle with a solid 21.57m in round four before hurling the shot out to 21.78m with his penultimate effort. In round six he committed a foul.
The reigning World Indoor and Commonwealth champion has struggled to find his absolute best form in recent months but will be hugely encouraged to have cracked the 22m mark for the first time since the 2019 World Athletics Championships in Doha as he eyes winning a medal at the upcoming Tokyo Olympics.
Walsh will seek to further build on his performance in Nashville when he next takes to the shot circle at the Florence Diamond League on Friday morning (NZ time).
There he will face a high-class field led by world number four Michal Haratyk of Poland.