Olympic medallists Tom Walsh and Hamish Kerr are helping to fund more New Zealand track and field athletes soar to new heights on the world stage.
After recognising the critical funding gap many elite track and field athletes face in order to qualify for major international competitions, the duo co-foundedthe Aotearoa Athletics Trust to be part of the solution and bring more equity to their sport.
“Traditional funding models in New Zealand leave many high-level athletes with a significant shortfall to reach major international competitions,” Walsh said.
“We’ve seen too many talented athletes miss opportunities simply due to financial constraints, and we wanted to do something positive that would help plug those gaps.”
Three of the trust’s four inaugural grant recipients have been selected to represent NZ at the World Athletics Championships in Tokyo, where Kerr (high jump) and Walsh (shot put) will also be competing.
Hammer-thrower Lauren Bruce, javelin athlete Tori Moorby and shot putter Nick Palmer have been supported by the trust for this event.
“The extra funding from the Aotearoa Athletics Trust has allowed me to travel and compete to attain standards for this NZ team,” Palmer said of his first World Championships appearance.
Tom Walsh: "We’re enabling more black singlets on the world stage." Photo / Photosport
“It is essential to fill this gap in support for athletes, and/organisations like the Aotearoa Athletics Trust allow me more space to focus on what’s important, which is throwing far.”
The grants have supplemented travel and competition costs.
“What started as a vision to provide more meaningful support for athletes has quickly gained positive momentum,” Walsh said.
“By addressing these funding gaps, we’re enabling more black singlets on the world stage and creating clearer pathways in our sport.”
The trust was an independent, collaborative, athlete-led initiative that aimed to add capacity to existing funding models.
“This isn’t about replacing what’s already there – it’s about recognising that in a high-performance environment, every athlete’s pathway is different,” Kerr explained.
“We’re creating additional support channels that work alongside existing organisations, all of whom are already doing valuable work with limited resources.”
The trust planned to expand its support network through community engagement events that connect athletes, sponsors and stakeholders.
“We’re wanting to build something sustainable here,” Kerr said.
“This is about long-term impact, creating pathways for the next generation of athletes, and ensuring New Zealand continues to punch above its weight in international athletics.”
The fourth inaugural grant recipient, NZ’s fastest man Tiaan Whelpton, continued to benefit from trust support as he looked ahead to the Commonwealth Games 2026.
