With three world titles, a Commonwealth Games gold and two Olympic bronze medals to his name, New Zealand’s most successful male shot putter Tom Walsh has taken another win overnight at the 2022 Cooks Classic, after a six month break from competition.
Throwing 20.67 metres in his first competition since the 2020 Tokyo Olympics, Walsh was crowned winner, and was relatively proud of how he performed after a long time away.
“First competitions back after a break are always a bit scratchy,” he said on Mornings with Ian Smith.
“I was pretty happy with how I felt in the circle, I felt really free.
“If I can keep building on that freedom, that’s when I do throw a long way. That freedom allows me to express the horsepower that I have been working on over the last three to four months.”
As the new year begins, Walsh move into his next Olympic cycle with a new objective, opting to have a greater role in his own training regime, and parting with long-time coach and mentor, Dale Stevenson.
Walsh’s former training partner, Hayden Hall, has stepped in as his new coach, however Walsh believes Hall’s role will be less about coaching at this point in his career and more about guiding the Olympian.
“I just need someone to tap my shoulder and say, look we need to go this way or we don’t need to go down that hole,” he said.
“Just be able to stand back a bit and have a slightly different perspective than I do.
“It was a hell of a ride with Dale. He was a huge reason why I managed to win those titles.
“It was a tough decision to choose to have slightly different plan, but sometimes change is the best thing.”
With a busy schedule looming over the next six to seven months, Walsh has been focusing on building power in the gym in the off-season, eyeing the World Indoors in Serbia and World Outdoors in Oregon as opportunities to come away with the gold.
“I’m looking to win them all,” the 29-year-old said.
“I’m not going to come second. I feel like I’m on the right track, I’ve just got to keep it going in that direction.”
With the world’s best hitting the 23 metre mark, Walsh understands he has room to grow if he wants to take the titles, however after making technical adjustments and with added horsepower, he feels he will find the extra distance he needs to take the win.
“I always take a while to get back into the swing of things, and there’s nothing like a true competition to give you a little bit extra when it’s all on the line.”