New Zealand win shot put gold and silver at the Commonwealth Games

New Zealand thrower Tom Walsh says he is thrilled with the distance he acheived to win the gold medal in the shot put.

Silver medalist Jacko Gill of New Zealand and Gold medalist Tom Walsh of New Zealand celebrate after the Men’s Shot Put Final at Alexander Stadium, Birmingham, England on Friday 5 August 2022.
Birmingham 2022 Commonwealth Games.
© Photo: Andrew Cornaga / www.photosport.nz
Photo: Andrew Cornaga/www.photosport.nz

New Zealand have dominated the men’s event, finishing first and second at the Commonwealth Games this morning.

Walsh, the defending champion, led the field from the first round, securing the gold medal with a huge throw of 22.26 metres in Birmingham.

Jacko Gill won the silver with a brilliant personal best throw of 21.90 metres for his first podium finish at a major world meet – he was ninth in the Tokyo Olympics.

Walsh was helped by the raucous crowd in putting in a consistent series of big throws.

“I am really happy with it – obviously I got hold of the last one which was really good,” Walsh said.

“I was knocking on the door with the other four or five throws which was good.

“Obviously Jacko had a big one on the end there.”

New Zealand added two more bronze medals in lawn bowls and wrestling.

At the lawn bowls the women’s triple of Val Smith, Nicole Toomey and Tayla Bruce won bronze, doubling up from their podium performance in the women’s four when they also claimed bronze last week.

Smith, Toomey and Bruce have doubled their medals after they each won bronze with the women’s four last week.

Tayla Ford won wrestling bronze in the women’s 68kg bout in Coventry. She overcame Amylee Sephora-Aza of Mauritius.

The Black Sticks women will not defend their Commonwealth hockey title after losing to England 2-0 in a tense penalty shoot-out.

– RNZ