New Zealand shot put star Tom Walsh won gold at the Diamond League meet in Rome, Italy, continuing a fantastic season. Walsh threw 21.89 meters on his very first attempt, his best of the year and enough to beat all other competitors.
Italian Zane Weir came second with a throw of 21.67 meters. Rajindra Campbell of Jamaica was third, just three centimetres behind Weir.
This victory is Walsh’s fifth career win at a Diamond League event. He has previously won in Brussels and Zurich. It also adds to his World Indoor Title from earlier this year in China.
Two other New Zealand athletes also competed in Rome. High jumper Hamish Kerr, who won gold at the Tokyo Olympics, finished sixth with a jump of 2.20 meters. Though he qualified first, he missed all three tries at 2.23 meters, far from his personal best.
Korean jumper Woo Sang-hyeok took first place in the high jump with 2.32 meters.
In the women’s pole vault, Imogen Ayris placed eighth. Her best jump was 4.50 meters. American Sandi Morris won the event with a 4.80-meter vault.
