Shot putters set to serve up a storm in Christchurch CBD

The Athletics NZ International Series moves to Christchurch on Friday evening for The Big Shot at the Retro Sports Facility on the corner of Durham and Kilmore Streets.

New Zealands world champion shot putter Tom Walsh has invited some of the best shot putters in the world to New Zealand and after he soundly beat them all in Timaru on Wednesday, he now gets to take them on in the city he calls home.

The "Power and Speed" men and women of track and field will be in action in the Christchurch CBD on Friday evening Walsh is determined to come out on top in the mens contest.

Meanwhile, New Zealands other international shot put star, Dame Valerie Adams will take on some quality opposition in the womens event as she builds to the Commonwealth Games.

The international mens shot put will include Tim Nedow from Canada, winner of the bronze at Glasgow Commonwealth Games, with a personal best of 21.33, and runner up in Timaru and Australias best, Damien Birkinhead who holds the Australian record at 21.35m - third in Timaru.

Expected to fire in Christchurch will be the current Commonwealth Games champion, ODayne Richards from Jamaica, with a personal best of 21.96m, the two-times world indoor champion (before Walsh took over) Ryan Whiting from the USA. Whiting, who has a best of 22.28m, recently won the US Indoor Championships and was a finalist at the recent World Indoor Champs.

Also in the field will be Konrad Bukowiecki from Poland, the current world junior champion with a best of 22.00m set last month.

They will all be trying to deny Walsh a repeat victory on his own patch, but the 26 year old Olympic bronze medallist will be no push-over with his recent New Zealand record of 22.31m in Birmingham at the World Indoor Championships less than two weeks ago and a best of 22.06 in Timaru, more than 1.20m further than anyone else.

Walsh, the winner of the Halberg Awards Sportsman of the Year for 2017 will be using the event to sharpen for the Commonwealth Games next month, one of the few titles that has eluded him. The other being an Olympic gold medal.

The elite womens event featuring double Olympic Champion Dame Valerie Adams will provide a fascinating contest.

Dame Valerie in her first competition in 18 months and the first since the birth of her daughter in October, won her 15th New Zealand womens shot put championship title in Hamilton just a week ago, throwing a distance of 17.83m.

Shell be wanting to step up in her second competition back and will be looking for a bigger throw as she approaches her fifth Commonwealth Games on the Gold Coast.

Up against the eight times world champion (outdoor and indoor) will be throwers from Canada, USA and New Zealand, including the winner in Timaru with a distance of 17.89m, Brittany Crew from Canada.

Also in the field will be another Canadian Taryn Suttie and Brittany Smith from USA, both capable of throws over 18.00m and Canterburys Tori Owers.

Fridays activities get under way at 4:30pm and will conclude around 6:30pm.

The Big Shot is part of a series of pre-Commonwealth Games international events in Timaru, Christchurch, Auckland and Waitakere. The Vertical Pursuit Pole Vault will be on Sunday afternoon on Federal Street in Auckland.

- This story has been automatically published using a media release from Athletics New Zealand