Walsh takes Diamond League lead in Lausanne

Tom Walsh left it late at the Diamond League shot put in Lausanne on Friday morning, moving from fifth place after four rounds into a big lead on the fifth round.

His throw of 21.92m, although short of his best in 2018, was enough to win the contest in the Swiss lakeside city by 0.54m from Brazilian Dalan Romani with Pole Michal Haratyk in third.

Fouls on the first two attempts were followed by tosses of 20.73m and 20.80m before he unleashed the winning throw of 21.92m in the fifth round.

The win takes Walsh to the overall lead in the Diamond league shot put on 21 points, ahead of Ryan Crouser and Darrell Hill (both USA) on 15 points. Crouser bypassed the Lausanne Meeting while Hill finished fourth.

With one more Diamond League shot put qualifying meeting, the 26 year old Kiwi is already qualified for the Diamond League final in Zurich at the end of August.

"I didnt start the competition well and was disappointed with the foul on my second throw, " said Walsh.

"This gave me an opportunity to test myself under pressure and it was more enjoyable. Im quite happy with my 21.92 as I arrived from New Zealand on Monday after a lot of travelling.

"My season is going great - Ive won the World Indoors the Commonwealth Games and my final objective is to win the Diamond League," he added.

Walshs next Diamond League meeting will be in Monaco on 20 July.

Pole vaulter Eliza McCartney has finished fourth in Lausanne, clearing 4.72m, short of her recent 4.92m NZ record in Germany at the weekend.

After a promising start to the competition, clearing 4.62m and 4.72m on her first two attempts to share the lead, the 21 year old Aucklander had three misses at 4.82, while three competitors - Stefanidi (GRE), Suhr (USA) and Sidorova (ANA) cleared that height.

McCartney moves to sixth place on 12 points in the Diamond League standings with two more qualifying rounds. She is not yet guaranteed a place in the final.

Like Walsh, McCartneys next Diamond League meet is in Monaco in two weeks.

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