Shot Put Never Sleeps: Neither Do Walshy or Queen Val
The Olympics may have only just ended but the noble art-form of shot put knows no interruptions and with that both Valerie Adams and Tom Walsh were straight back into competition in Europe, fresh off their medals in Rio. And both were throwing proper heat as well.
Queen Val wasted no time in jetting to Switzerland, she was in competition in Lausanne against both of the other 2016 Olympic medallists, Michelle Carter (Gold – USA) and Anita Marton (Bronze - Hungary). Christina Schwanitz was also there, the German thrower who was so disappointing in Rio where her best effort of 19.03m could only get her sixth place. As the defending world champ from 2015, that was way down on her capabilities.
But Schwanitz started strong in Lausanne with a throw of 19.21m giving her the early lead after the first round, ahead of both Adams and Carter. Schwanitz was able to push that to a 19.33 with her second put but that was when the giants awoke. Carter’s monster 20.63 toss in Rio wasn’t likely to be touched by anyone here, though she did edge her way ahead of Schwanitz – whose next four attempts were all called foul – with a 19.34, still that was nothing compared to Adams’ second throw. 19.83m, going all the way into first.
The key to Michelle Carter’s Olympic winner was that she held her form throughout, logging six measured throws all at a consistent distance. When she needed a big one to win it, she was in rhythm to do exactly that. Here she was slightly more erratic but still there or thereabouts, she just didn’t have that big one in her on the day. Adams did. Adams built on that 18.98 opener with five throws all above 19 metres, including a big ol’ 19.94 to finish things off nicely. Carter and Schwanitz were second and third while nobody else passed 19m. A 28th Diamond League victory for Queen Val.
Meanwhile, as Val was getting some revenge on the woman who beat her in Rio, Tom Walsh was getting ready for his own Diamond League meet in Paris. And in similar circumstances, all three of the medallists at the Olympics were there, in fact the top five men in Rio were all in attendance. A strong field for sure.
The standouts were the gold and silver winners though: the Americans Ryan Crouser and Joe Kovacs, now decorated as the two best in the world. However for whatever reason, Kovacs struggled in Paris. Two throws barely above 20 metres and that wasn’t enough to earn him the three extra shots for a top four standing, leaving him in eighth place. 20.18 was his best effort, both Walshy and Crouser beat that comfortably on their first throws, Walsh going 21.14 and Crouser going 21.28.
Ryan Crouser produced an untouchable championship moment with his Olympic record 22.52m in Rio. Again, just as in Lausanne with the ladies, that kind of distance was never on the cards. Not this soon after the major one that they were all trying to peak for. Almost everyone here that was in Rio went shorter in what were some fairly tough conditions in the heat in Paris. Everyone except Tommy, that is. With his second throw he pulled out a personal best to surge into the lead. 21.81m, comfortably beating his previous best of 21.62m which was set last September, a few days before he won his first ever Diamond League event in Brussels. It also topped his indoor record of 21.78m, which won him the indoor world title earlier in 2016.
Being an Olympic champion though, Crouser was poised to respond. It came with his third throw when the Texan Longhorn hurled a 21.99. With that, the two men had separated themselves from the field and it became a matter of whether Walsh could go even further. A couple of goes around the 21 metre mark weren’t enough but then with his last attempt, Tommy absolutely launched it. 22.00m, 22 exactly. Enough to take the lead by a single centimetre. Crouser’s sixth was only 21.14m and with that Walsh had the W.
Tom Walsh: “I didn’t really expect to throw so far. After Rio, I had something to prove. The stadium, the fans, everything was perfect tonight. A great meeting.”
Another kiwi shot put icon getting back at those who topped them in Rio. Not only is 22.00m a new PB for Walshy, but it also (naturally) extends his National and Oceania records and broke a 24 year old meeting record too. Plus, what with Joe Kovacs having led the Diamond Race before his stinker of a meet here, Walsh now overtakes him for first in the overall standings ahead of the final meeting of the season. That one takes place in the early hours of Thursday morning (NZT) in Zurich and it counts for double points. Big prize on offer there, as well as there being a sparkly trophy for the taking, there’s also a NZ$55,000 prize as well.
As for Queen Val, she’s a little further ahead in her competition and will be looking to wrap up her fifth Diamond League championship in the seventh year of its existence. With twenty points on offer for the winner and a 21 point lead with only that event to go, all Val has to do is turn up to win it. Christina Schwanitz won it last year as Val had her troubles with injury but before that it was four in a row. A fifth title would be beaten only by French pole vaulter Renaud Lavillenie (who is on his way to a seventh straight) and can be matched only by triple jumper Christian Taylor and discus thrower Sandra Perkovic. All three and Val have significant leads in their 2016 events. Perkovic, the Croatian Olympic gold medallist in Rio, is the only woman with more individual event wins across all disciplines, with 33 to Val’s 28.
The final of the women’s shot put takes place in Brussels in the last meet of the Diamond League season. Lock that one in for Saturday September 10th (NZT). Two kiwis looking to claim a couple of big time championships, the shot put is strong in these ones.
By the way, if you were wondering what fuels a champion, the answer is peanut butter and banana. Better hope the local is stocked up well because those shelves are about to be raided.