Athletics: World champion Tom Walsh didn't make 22m mark but crowd still goes wild in Hastings

World No 1 shot putter Tom Walsh, of Christchurch, warms up to the task as the fans will him on in Hastings yesterday. Photo/Warren Buckland

As the world's best shot put exponent, Tom Walsh, knows a cracking venue when he competes there and Hastings got his overwhelming tick of approval yesterday.

But despite the ideal platform for Walsh, the world outdoor and indoor champion from Canterbury lamented not making the 22m mark despite winning the senior men's event at the annual Allan and Sylvia Potts Memorial Classic at the HB Regional Sports Park ground.

"I've got no excuses for not throwing further because it's great weather and the crowd was awesome with a good bunch of people here," said the 25-year-old who was competing for the first time this season after returning to training following his last meeting in Brussels in September.

Walsh threw the 7.26kg metal sphere 21.14m, shy of his outdoor person best throw of 22.21m established in Zagreb on September 5, 2016, which also is a New Zealand record.

His world indoor record is 21.78m set in Portland, United States, on March 18 in the same year.

"Twenty-one is a good throw and it's not a bad day at the office at all but I thought I was going to throw a little bit further today."

Walsh thought he had trained well leading up to the classic but felt he was trying a little bit too hard and over rotating.

"I almost got it right in the last two throws a little bit more. I had the straight power but the timing wasn't quite right where I could get a straight throw," said the Rio Olympics bronze medallist.

"When someone else is up behind you it makes it a lot easier but then again you've got to find something to inspire you as well because you can't always rely on other people to drive you."

Walsh was mindful shot put in the country was becoming stronger with the likes of training partners Ryan Ballantyne and Nick Palmer.

Nick Palmer on his way to smashing the Hawke's Bay-Gisborne record and establishing a PB in Hastings yesterday. Photo/Warren Buckland

Ballantyne, 19, of Christchurch Old Boys Club, was runner-up on 16.97m and Palmer, 17, of Hastings Athletic Club, was third with a throw of 16.33m.

The teenagers have already qualified for the world junior championship in Finland in July with the 6kg implement.

"Of course, Jacko would have been here too but he's got his own problems at the moment," Walsh said, after breaking the classic record of 20.30m that Gill set last year.

A life-threatening heart condition last month had dashed Gill's Commonwealth Games campaign.

The 22-year-old Auckland was admitted to hospital for several days after waking up early last month with searing pains in his chest and arm early last month.

Medical tests confirmed he has myocarditis, or inflammation of the heart muscle, which interferes with the organ's ability to pump blood around the body.

Gill is expected to make a full recovery as he takes six months off recovering from a condition that can can cause long-term damage or even death.

Akin to Olympic pole vaulter Eliza McCartney, of Auckland, Walsh is jetting off to the World Indoor Championship in Birmingham, England, from March 1-4 in a bid to defend his crown before the Gold Coast Commonwealth Games from April 4-15.

"I know the rest of the boys really enjoyed it and it'll be good to be back here again at some point," said an affable Walsh who mingled with anyone who approached him to sign autographs, take selfies or simply make small talk.

Palmer said his distance yesterday was commensurate to his age as he relished graduating to the heavier senior men's shot.

"One thing about sport is that you can go further and do a bit more but I'm pretty happy with how it went," said the Karamu High School pupil who will be attending year 13 from next week.

The teenager smashed the Hawke's Bay-Gisborne senior men's record and his PB although details of who held the previous distance wasn't available.

Torie Owers, in her first major competition in New Zealand after relocating from the US, won the women's shot put accolades with a 16.97m throw.

Owers, who is a club mate of Walsh at the Port Hills Athletics Club in Christchurch, smashed the 14.88m classic record of Te Rina Keenan, of Waitakere City Athletics Club (Auckland), set last year.

The 23-year-old, who qualifies as a New Zealander through her father, fell 0.23m shy of the games B standard.

Maddison Wesche produced a 16.37m PB for second place.

Keenan settled for second in women's discus with a throw of 53.62m with Siositina Hakeai (Mangere Otahuhu) winning by 58.32m as former world champion and Olympic medallist Beatrice Faumuina's 2010 classic record of 60.10m remained intact.

Nicole Bradley (North Harbour Bays) won the women's hammer by a PB 66.07m, adding 1.50m to her previous distance but coming up 1.43m shy of the Commonwealth Games B standard. Lauren Bruce (South Canterbury) was second with a PB of 62.42m, ahead of Ella Pilkington (North Harbour Bays).

Kelsey Berryman was the long jump queen with a leap of 6.29m while Thomas Rawstron was the male equivalent of 7.28m.

The New Zealand athletics Commonwealth Games team will be announced on Friday next week.