Following a sensational one-two finish at the Commonwealth Games, Tom Walsh says he'd love to see his rivalry with fellow Kiwi shot putter Jacko Gill grow, but for one thing standing their way.
Walsh and Gill topped the leaderboard in Birmingham on Saturday, with Gill throwing a personalbest distance of 21.90m to keep the competition between the pair close right up until Walsh's monster final throw of 22.26m.
It was a result that Walsh praised at the time for shining a worthy light on a sport that doesn't always top the headlines.
"It's great for Jacko, it's great for shot put and it's great for athletics in New Zealand to have both of us there," he said after the event.
"I know every year he's getting closer and closer to me, it's going to be an interesting domestic season again next year."
Now Walsh has provided more context to the casual mention of a domestic season rivalry, rather than one that could be seen on the international stage as part of the likes of the Diamond League or Continental Tour.
"I think it would be great if Jacko did compete more ... I just don't know how much he wants to compete internationally and is willing to," Walsh told NZME, saying Gill is more than capable of being a regular feature on the world athletics circuit.
"Jack has been throwing really well for the last five years, he's competed really well at major championships and then has decided, for whatever reason, not to carry on.
"He's definitely good enough to make all these Diamond Leagues and all that stuff, but it's just up to him whether he wants to do it or not."
Gill, who famously broke Usain Bolt's record to become the youngest world junior athletics champion in 2010, has been open about his battles with injury and mental wellbeing over the past four years which are likely reasons for his relative absence from international events.
Jacko Gill (R) took gold from Tom Walsh at the 2011 U-19 New Zealand Track and Field Championships. Photo / Photosport
However, Gill's Commonwealth Games silver is his first major prize at senior athletics level and he's already showing signs of being more active.
Just days after being presented with his silver medal, Gill was competing with Walsh in a Continental Tour gold event in Hungary and pushing hard at the gold medallist's heels.
"He was beating me for a few rounds today and I didn't really like that too much, so it was good. I think any type of world competition you can get into, whether it's Diamond League or the Continental Gold is good," Walsh said.
The pair will next cross swords in Lausanne at another Diamond League event at the end of the month, and while it remains to be seen if Gill will take part in more international meets in 2022, his fitness and form point to him being more than capable of doing so.
For now, Walsh is looking forward to taking a well-earned break in Croatia before reigniting a rivalry with Gill that Kiwi athletics fans can potentially drool over in the seasons leading up to the Paris Olympics in 2024.
"The next three weeks are pretty important to recharge and get things going again. I'd expect some fireworks at the end of the season, for sure."
