10 Mar 2014

Big Val tips big things from Tom Walsh

6:54 am on 10 March 2014

New Zealand shot put star Valerie Adams is tipping young shot putter Tom Walsh to achieve much more than just the bronze medal he won on the weekend at the world indoor athletics championships in Poland.

After Adams wrapped up her third straight indoor title, she was happy to rave about Walsh, a South Canterbury builder who beat out the double Olympic gold medallist Tomasz Majewski for the bronze medal, in his first major senior competition.

Walsh, who spent the previous week training with Adams and her coach Jean-Pierre Egger in Switzerland, set a new personal best and national record with his final throw of 21.26 metres - and Adams is convinced there's more to come from the 22-year-old - starting with the upcoming Glasgow Commonwealth Games.

She says she sees massive potential in Walsh and he's showed he has the goods, so as long as he continues to nurture his talent and has the support around him he needs.

Adams says Walsh reminds her of the 2004 Athens gold medallist from the USA, Adam Nelson, in terms of body size - both men are heavily built rather than giants.