Focus: Shotputter Jacko Gill opens up ahead of the Paris Olympic Games

Jacko Gill’s sporting career has always been a family affair. It’s part of the reason why the Olympic shot putter has opted to stay home in the lead-up to the Paris Olympic Games with his dad Walter, mum Nerida and partner Monica sharing coaching duties. He speaks exclusively with NZ Herald Focus reporter Chereè Kinnear in his first sit-down interview for two years.

A 1.9-meter Jacko Gill sits on a bench in the garden of his family’s Devonport home.

Next to him, his partner Monica Chau, and on his lap, his 19-year-old pet turtle.

“That turtle he got when he was 10 years old,” Jacko’s dad Walter Gill says. “He had just broken the Auckland shot put record and that was his reward. He wanted a baby turtle.

“Then we find out they live for about 100 years,” he laughs, before adding he may need to leave the animal - ironically named ‘turtle’ - to someone in his will.

Jacko walks over to his guinea pig cage and lifts one named ‘Dave’ out of the pen.

“They’re all named Dave,” he laughs, “I just really liked the name Dave, so they’re Dave 1, 2, 3 and 4.”

He pauses before adding, “They’re actually all girls, so that doesn’t really work”.

He smiles and his infectious laugh rings out and it’s clear why the Olympic shot putter has opted to stay at home in the build-up to the Paris Games.

“It’s very easy here,” Jacko says.

“I just love my family and I love my animals… it’s hard to leave home.

“I think I’m very lucky doing what I love, with the people that I love day in, day out.”

Jack Gill with his pet turtle. Photo / Aylse Wright

From the moment a young Jacko made his first throw, his family have been right behind him.

Not that he’s ever struggled with motivation.

“No matter what he did, he wanted to do things to excess,” mum Nerida Gill says.

“He was diabolical,” adds Walter. “Everything he did was 100 miles an hour.

“If I told him that 50 throws were really good for a training session and that that was excessive, he would do 90 or 100.”

Both with a background in athletics, Walter and Nerida played a big role in Jacko’s early shotput years. His sporting career took off when he was 15, when he beat Usain Bolt’s title to become the youngest-ever world junior athletics champion.

“I’ll never forget that,” Walter says. “He was lying on the track and his eyes were closed and it was like he was asleep, he was just in the zone.”

With his current coach, Dale Stevenson, based in Australia, both Walter and Nerida have continued to assist with Jacko’s training sessions. His partner Monica only adding to the family affair.

“She’ll coach me a few days a week and swap out with mum and then dad does the weekends,” Jacko says.

“We just understand each other so well,” adds Monica.

Jacko and Monica started dating seven years ago after matching on dating app Tinder.

Their first date was at a local arcade - something they still enjoy doing today. They bonded over their shared competitiveness and love for sport, with Monica involved in golf most of her life. She’s currently a coach at Remuera Golf Club and recently started competing in long drive.

“I’ve done that for maybe 18 months now,” Monica says. “I found the shot put version of golf.”

She came second at the New Zealand National Champs last year against Phillis Meti, who holds the record for the furthest female long drive distance.

“Our sports are quite similar in many ways,” Jacko explains. “She has six attempts and I have six attempts as well. You also only have one moment. In my sport, each shot lasts about one second, same with her.”

Jacko Gill with partner Monica Chau during a training session at AUT Millennium. Photo / Chereè Kinnear

Jacko struggled to make his mark at senior level after rocketing to junior fame.

His first Olympic appearance at Rio in 2016, where he finished ninth, was hampered by a foot fracture. Not long after, a myocarditis diagnosis and series of injuries halted his career. The Covid-19 pandemic gifted him an extra year of preparations for the delayed 2020 Tokyo Olympics. But with family not allowed at the Games, Jacko was left without his much-loved support unit.

“It was really tough,” Jacko says. “I really struggled with Tokyo and felt very isolated. I really struggled to not have anyone over there.

“It was a tough period in my life.”

Jacko Gill competing in the Men's Shot Put Final at the Tokyo Olympic Games. Photo / Getty

Another ninth-place finish left him deflated.

“I was so ready for that support and just to have that connection again,” he says.

Jacko’s parents, watching from back home felt it too.

“I hate to see him disappointed,” Nerida says. “As a parent, you really want them to do well.”

“We all suffered a bit,” adds Walter. “But when he was young, we always taught him to have a plan b that if things didn’t go well, he would quickly refocus.”

Refocussing is exactly what Jacko has done over the past three years while building a fresh appreciation for what he has. Now at 29, he feels more mature heading into Paris.

“When I was younger, you know, you’re a little bit hard to deal with and your attitude is a little bit different,” he says.

“Now I understand the situation where I’m at and am very appreciative. I think I’ve grown up and I just understand how lucky I am and that I wouldn’t have it any other way.”

When asked about how he was feeling about Paris, Jacko’s face lights up.

“I’m feeling really good,” he says nodding.

“I’m right at the peak of the hard training phase so I’m very tired and distance is down, but it’s supposed to be.

“There’s always that little bit of that athlete mindset, you do want more and you’re quite desperate… but just to come back to being appreciative and being in the moment and just enjoying each day and I think that is the key.”

Jacko Gill's dad Walter in the kitchen of their family home. Photo / Alyse Wright

Nerida will accompany Jacko at the upcoming Games, while the rest of the family watches from home and Monica from the US, where she’s set to compete in the World Long Drive Championships before jetting to Europe later on.

They all agree we’ve not yet seen the best of Jacko Gill.

“He had a bit of a lull after his junior years,” Walter says. “But I believe it’s coming back now.

“That day is coming… It will be his day when he pops that one a little bit further. His turn is coming again.”

Jacko Gill getting in the zone during a tianing session. Photo / Chereè Kinnear

When visualising Paris, Jacko doesn’t talk about standing on the podium or having a medal around his neck.

What he instead describes are the “little moments” he looks forward to sharing with his mum.

“It’s just that tear in your eye when you walk into the stadium and you know mum’s saying good luck and gives me a big thumbs up,” he says.

“You walk to the stadium and you see her waving and cheering for you and you have a good throw and you walk over there and she’s saying well done. That would be very special.”

Making the podium at the Games he says would be very special too, but admits an Olympic medal wouldn’t be something he held onto for long.

“It would go to my parents,” he says.

“I don’t like having too much of my sporting stuff, so I probably wouldn’t see it. It’s not necessarily an Olympic medal that’s the reward for my career. I’ll look back and I’ll just appreciate the moments of training with family.

“That’s it. And that’s enough for me.”