27 Feb 2015

Whiting beats Walsh again

1:20 pm on 27 February 2015

Ryan Whiting set his second New Zealand all-comers record in successive days as the world-class American dominated the men's shot put from home favourite Tom Walsh at the Auckland Track Challenge in Waitakere.

Just 24 hours after heaving the shot out to 21.03 metres in The Big Shot competition in Christchurch, Whiting, a two-time World Indoor champion, hurled the metal ball 21.27 metres with his first throw of the competition and was never surpassed.

American shot putter Ryan Whiting

American shot putter Ryan Whiting Photo: PHOTOSPORT

Walsh, the World Indoor bronze medallist and good friend of Whiting, performed better than he has the Garden City - when he threw a best of 19.99 metres - and last night he achieved a best in round one with 20.24 metres but fell some way short of the American.

As a measure of Whiting's superiority, he also powered the shot out to 21.16 metres and 21.15 metres in rounds two and six in a total demonstration of shot put excellence.

Walsh says he's a little bit happier (than in Christchurch). "I'm still doing the same things wrong but not as wrong as last night."

He says he did improve which was the main thing and he's sure in a week and a half (at NZ Nationals) he'll be throwing a lot further.

Walsh believes he is over-rotating at front and needs to power through the shot put more but has relished having the 28-year-old world outdoor silver medallist over to New Zealand to compete against him.

He says it's pretty awesome to have someone of his calibre working with them, even if he's broken a few records of his, it has been great to have him over here.

Whiting was pleased with the consistency in his throwing and added it's been a great experience coming to New Zealand, as everyone has been extremely welcoming and hospitable.

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