Tom Walsh became New Zealand's first male outdoor track and field world champion in August. Photo / Photosport.nz
Shot putter Tom Walsh has been a busy chap since he became the first Kiwi male to win an outdoor track and field world championships gold in August.
His appetite for action has resembled a bucket list.
1. Building and moving into his first home in Christchurch.
2. Constructing a deck.
3. Sourcing, sawing and sanding a slab of West Coast native timber for his dining room table.
4. Getting an operation on his nose to reduce his snoring.
5. Mastering his funambulism across a 10m rope.
6. Completing a trampoline somersault.
7. Participating in the New Zealand women's golf open Pro-Am.
8*. Cooking a juicy pork loin.
With most tasks crossed off, Walsh will move onto defending his world indoor championships title at Birmingham in March and attempting to upgrade his 2014 silver to a 2018 gold at the Gold Coast Commonwealth Games in April.
Walsh's mother matched her son with a bucket list item. He removed the wrapping from her Christmas gift to unveil… a shaving kit.
Walsh told Radio Sport his resident whiskers will likely avoid eviction.
"I get piss-take presents.
"My mother hates my beard, but I'm a stubborn guy. The hints mean I dig my toes in, so I won't be getting rid of it."
With the stubble on safe real estate for now, Walsh is training for his year ahead. That meant a spot of tight-rope walking to improve his balance before Christmas Day lunch, and a Twitter mockumentary perfecting a trampoline somersault.
"My gym work is going well. I've done PBs [personal bests] in the squat and bench [press] and have been doing pretty consistent throws around 20.50m, which is good for this time of year.
"I've had a cool year achieving what I wanted and staying consistent. I had some unfinished business from the Rio Olympics [where he earned bronze]."
Walsh's world championship crown was the highlight.
"Especially doing it with the groin injury I suffered two days before the competition.
"I stuck to my processes, stayed focused and threw well with that, which is not something everyone can do."
Between the world indoor championships and the Commonwealth Games he has three further opportunities to preach the shot put gospel at Timaru, Christchurch and Auckland.
"We're bringing some other athletes down for those. It will be exciting to show off what I do to the New Zealand public."
*A work in progress – "I love pork, but it can dry out a bit; that's one I'm still mastering."
Olympic champ Ellesse Andrews and the St Thomas of Canterbury College First XIII feature.