2 Sep 2016

Walsh wins again

10:59 am on 2 September 2016

The outstanding form of New Zealand shot putter Tom Walsh continues, with victory in the latest Diamond League meeting in Zurich.

Walsh has now achieved a hatrick of wins over Olympic gold-medallist American Ryan Crouser, throwing a national record of 22.20 metres - beating Crouser by 20cm.

Tom Walsh

Tom Walsh Photo: AFP

Walsh, a bronze-medallist in Rio, also beat Crouser in the recent Diamond League meeting in Paris when he threw, 22m and at another meeting in Poland.

"I thought I was actually in better shape than what I threw in Rio and I felt like I still had something to prove," he said.

"Anyone who knows me well knows I'm a competitive bugger and I never like to lose ... so I felt like I had something to prove and I knew I had more in the tank as well. So it's been great these last two or three comps, things have lined up really well."

However he conceded the victories were a little bittersweet knowing he was capable of winning gold in Rio.

"It is a little bittersweet ... but then if you had told me two-and-a-half years ago I would be in this position I would have told you, you were crazy.

"So sometimes you have got to just look back and see where you've come from and realise how good you have actually got it."

The victory earns Walsh $14,000 and gives him the overall Diamond League title for the season which is worth another $55,000.

Walsh headed off American rival and defending Diamond League champion Joe Kovacs for the title.

He has two more meets in Europe before heading home to Christchurch for the summer.

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