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Photo: PHOTOSPORT
Walsh admits to mixed emotions as he heads overseas to finalise his Olympic preparations.
Covid-19 forced Walsh to spend all of 2020 at home in Christchurch, but has decided it s time to head off and get some much needed international competition.
The Olympic bronze medalists last overseas competition was at the 2019 Doha World Championships, 20 months ago. One of the things last year taught me was how much I love competing. I love competing against the top guys in the world, it excites me, motivates me and drives me.
The 29 year old says if he s to have any chance at the rescheduled Tokyo Olympics he needs to be out there competing.
Eddie Osei-Nketia and Tiaan Whelpton
Photo: PHOTOSPORT
The Sir Graeme Douglas International meeting at Trusts Arena in Waitakere is another important outing in Olympic year with the event carrying World Athletics Continental Tour Bronze level status, which has the highest points on offer in the Oceania region.
Those athletes without guaranteed qualifying marks can still gain an Olympic entry through world rankings.
The respective match-ups between sprinters Eddie Osei-Nketia and Tiaan Whelpton, and shot put kings Tom Walsh and Jacko Gill, have been the biggest storylines this summer and each is set to go head-to-head again on Saturday.
In the male sprinting battles this season, Whelpton sprung an upset by prevailing over Osei-Nketia at the Potts Classic last month, while Osei-Nketia was back in the winner s circle at the Christchurch International Meeting over 200m and then again in the 100m at the Porritt Classic with a scorching 10.28 - his fastest ever legal 100m time in New
The national track and field championships in Hastings on March 5-7 will be another event where they clash before considering the prospect of going overseas ahead of the Tokyo Olympics in July, Covid-19 permitting, and Gill is in career-best form while Walsh, a former world champion and medallist at the last Olympics (bronze) and Commonwealth Games (gold), is stuck in a rut. Meanwhile, Dame Valerie Adams saw off the challenge of Maddison-Lee Wesche to comfortably win the women’s shot put, throwing longer than 18m with all six throws.
Kai Schwoerer/Getty Images
Dame Valerie Adams won the women’s shot put in Hamilton (FILE PHOTO).
Double Olympic gold medallist Dame Valerie Adams is working her way back into form, twice bettering the Tokyo Olympic qualifying standard at the Porritt Classic in Hamilton on Saturday.