23 Mar 2014

NZ sweep shot put in Melbourne

12:10 pm on 23 March 2014

New Zealand has swept the shot put at the World Challenge athletics meet in Melbourne, with gold medals in the men's and women's events.

Timaru shot putter Tom Walsh produced a best throw of 21.16 metres to finish the men's event comfortably ahead of the Australian Damien Birkinhead.

Predictably, the double Olympic champion Valerie Adams blitzed the field without extending herself - her throw of 19.68 metres more than four metres further than her nearest rival.

It's her 45th consecutive win.