The Big Shot in Christchurch proved two things on Friday evening -Tom Walsh is hard to beat and Dame Valerie Adams is on the improve.
The Athletics NZ International Series rolled through Christchurch for The Big Shot at the Retro Sports Facility in front of a big appreciative crowd.
New Zealand’s world champion shot putter Tom Walsh once again beat some of the best-shot putters in the world with the next thrower still over a meter behind the 26-year-old Cantabrian.
Walsh had three throws at 21.50m or better, with his biggest throw measured at 21.65m to again win handsomely.
O’Dayne Richards improved on his Timaru performance two days earlier to finish in second place with 20.61m. Tim Nedow from Canada finished in third on 20.50m to make it a Commonwealth trifecta for the three medallists from the 2014 Glasgow Games.
In the Women’s contest, Dame Valerie Adams started strongly with a season’s best 18.03m and led the competition at the conclusion of the fifth round.
Canada’s Brittany Crew, winner at the Timaru Super Shot, hit a winning 18.42m on her final throw and while Dame Valerie improved with the final put of the competition to 18.06, she could not close the gap.
Kiwi Victoria Owers, despite having four fouls in her six attempts, came in third with 16.80m in front of her home crowd.
The Big Shot was part of a series of pre-Commonwealth Games international events in Timaru, Christchurch, Auckland and Waitakere.
The Vertical Pursuit Pole Vault will be the next in the International Series this Sunday afternoon in Federal Street, Auckland, with the free event starting at 3:00pm.
The shot putters will next be in action in the final meet of the series, the Sir Graeme Douglas International Track Challenge at Douglas Track and Field in Waitakere on Sunday 25 March.
Big Shot Results
Men
1 Tom Walsh NZL 21.65
2 O’Dayne Richards JAM 20.61
3 Tim Nedow CAN 20.50
4 Ryan Whiting USA 20.45
5 Konrad Bukowiecki POL 20.39
6 Damien Birkinhead AUS 19.86
Women
1 Brittany Crew CAN 18.42
2 Valerie Adams NZL 18.06
3 Victoria Owers NZL 16.80
4 Taryn Suttie CAN 16.63
5 Brittany Smith USA 16.25
Via athletics New Zealand
