Tom Walsh pulled out a big effort when he needed it most and won a shot put bronze medal today.
The 24-year-old product of Timaru had good credentials going into the shot put in Rio. He is the world indoor champion, a title he won in Portland this year. He was third in the indoor champs in Sopot, Poland, in 2014. And he was fourth at the 2015 world championships.
So New Zealand sports fans knew he was there or thereabouts. Could he produce a medal performance at his first Olympic Games, though?
The New Zealander could not match the massive throwing of American Ryan Crouser, who set an Olympic record with his 22.52m effort, or Crouser’s countryman, Joe Kovacs, who had a best of 21.78m.
Going into his fifth round, Walsh had not really clicked, having had efforts of 20.54m, 21.20m, foul and 20.75m. However, he stepped up when the pressure was on and unleashed a 21.36m that moved him into the bronze medal position. His last throw was 21.25m.
The fourth place-getter was Franck Elemba of the Congo, with 21.20m, so Walsh had room to spare.
New Zealand had another competitor in the final, 21-year-old Aucklander Jacko Gill. However, Gill seemed out of sorts, hampered by a persistent foot injury, and managed just 20.12m, 20.50m and 20.26m.
Earlier in the day Walsh and Gill had qualified handsomely for the final. Walsh threw 21.03m with his first throw and Gill had a best of 20.80m. Walsh was the second qualifier and Gill fourth.
Gill was absolutely delighted to get among the medals.
"It's awesome to get a bronze," Walsh said. "It's obviously not what I wanted but, geez, you've got to take it don't you.
"I was trying not to leave anything in the tank, but I just wasn't quite lining things up. But it is the Olympic Games and there are a lot of pressures around and it was a hell of a competition out there today with the two Americans throwing really well."
Gill, very young in shot putting terms and with his Olympic campaign hindered by his foot injury, did well to finish ninth.
“I’m really happy,” he said afterwards. “It’s one of my best ever throws. I’m not quite the level of Tom right now, but I’ll get there.”
There was more good news in the athletics stadium today when veteran New Zealand 1500m specialist Nick Willis qualified well for the final – his third consecutive Olympic final.
Willis, 33, stuck doggedly to the pole line, his favoured tactic. It meant he was boxed in for much of the journey, but he bided his time and when the gaps opened up in the home straight, he had plenty of strength and speed left and comfortably eased into third place (with the first five to qualify) in a time of 3min 39.96s. Willis’ heat was won by Kenyan Asbel Kiprop in 3min 39.73s.