Athletics: Tom Walsh falls to Olympic champion at Oregon Diamond League

Tom Walsh (NZ) during The Mike Greer Homes Big Shot and Fast K, Christchurch. Photo/Photosport

Kiwi shot put exponent Tom Walsh has opened his 2017 IAAF Diamond League account with a second placing at Eugene, Oregon.

The defending Diamond League champion and Olympic bronze medallist threw 21.713m to finish behind Olympic champion Ryan Crouser from the United States.

Crouser led Walsh narrowly after three rounds, but exploded into a 22.43m effort with his fifth effort, his best throw of the year so far.

👍👍👍👍@RyanCrouser1 #DiamondLeague #PreClassic pic.twitter.com/J75QOPkKpE

— The Prefontaine Classic (@nikepreclassic) May 27, 2017

In third, American Joe Kovacs (21.444m) was more than a metre short of his 22.57m throw last week, which was the best in the event for 15 years.

Walsh's next Diamond League outing will be in Rome on June 8.