By Michael Burgess in Paris
A timely message from his wife helped Tom Walsh to achieve serene progress to the Olympics shot put final on Sunday (NZT).
After an impressive indoor season, Walsh has struggled for form over the past few months, well short of his usual standards. That made for a difficult Games preparation, and some inevitable self-reflection, for the 32-year-old.
But he looked confident on Saturday, nailing the automatic qualification mark (21.35m) with a throw of 21.48m on his second attempt.
“I’m really happy,” said Walsh. “It was about getting out there and getting the qualifying mark and getting used to the arena a little bit. My wife actually texted me and said, be a little kid out there today and imagine how cool it is, your younger self thinking that you will be here and competing in front of 80,000 people and enjoy that moment because you don’t know how many you have got left.”
It’s left Walsh in a positive frame of mind ahead of the final (Sunday 5am NZT), as he aims to achieve a third successive podium finish, after bronze medals in Rio and Tokyo.
“I’m feeling good,” said Walsh. “As everyone knows, this year hasn’t been the year I have wanted it to be. The outdoor season has been a bit hit and miss but I know physically I am in great shape and I’ve had a lot of work on mentally over the last two months. When that is in a good spot, I know I am going to nail some throws. It’s not far away, I’m really happy with how I threw and just got to roll the dice [in the final].
Compatriot Jacko Gill was also impressive. As the first thrower in group A, he led off with 21.14m, before increasing the elevation to make 21.35m on his next attempt, which allowed an early exit from the day’s action.
“I’m happy with that,” said Gill. “It’s been a tough build-up so I was really happy to see those distances.” Gill recorded 9th place finishes in the past two Olympic Games and senses an opportunity to push himself closer to the top echelon here.
“I’m feeling a lot better about the final now,” said Gill. “I really see huge possibilities there. It’s the furthest I have thrown in four months in training and comps so really excited about what is to come.”
Both men enjoyed the atmosphere created by the sold-out day one athletics crowd, with a cacophony of noise cheering on any French athletes in parallel events on the track. Gill said it was the best atmosphere he had experienced – “I’ve been in some great stadiums but the French are very passionate, it’s very loud” – while Walsh was equally effusive.
“I threw here in 2016 and it was pretty cool back then but this kind of blows it out of the water,” said Walsh. “They are doing a great job hyping up the crowd and getting them involved and [on Sunday] the big boys will be dropping bombs.”
Now it is all about preparation.
“Some physio, then as much sleep as possible, which is always a bit hard after caffeine, and then repeat today,” said Gill. “Being calm, concentrating on the event.”
Walsh had a similar plan.
“Some kai, some rest, maybe some treatment too,” said Walsh. “And then enjoy tomorrow, chill out in the morning. It’s easy to get the steps up and as a big guy it’s not good to get the steps up around the village so trying to keep off my feet as much as I can.”
Michael Burgess has been a sports journalist since 2005, winning several national awards and covering Olympics’, Fifa World Cups and America’s Cup campaigns. A football aficionado, Burgess will never forget the noise that greeted Rory Fallon’s goal against Bahrain in Wellington in 2009.