Athletics: Shot putter Tom Walsh didn't fulfil mum's dream of becoming All Black but he's still world No 1

Tom Walsh is world shot put champion and a bronze medalist at Rio Olympics. His mother, Karen, always wanted him to be an All Black. She and his father, Peter, are loyal fans of their son. They will be at the Allan and Sylvia Potts Memorial Track and Field Classic in Hastings today. His brother, Bill, is playing cricket in Auckland this weekend. He will stay with his parents. Tom's parents instilled the value of adhering to a plan. It's the epitome of what Tom Walsh's all about. The 25-year-old shotputter is competing at a Commonwealth Games-qualifying meeting.

Tom Walsh is a seven-time national senior men's shot put champion. He is grateful to his manager Scott Newman for taking control of the publicity aspects of his career without taking away from his shot putting demands. Walsh grew up in a Kiwi nuclear family and worked on the farm. His father was a farmer. Jacko Gill won the world junior championship at the age of 17. He was the inspiration for Walsh to become a shotputter. The world championship bonus brought him $82,000. Now he is receiving more requests to be a keynote speaker. It was his mother's dream to see him become an All Black.

Tom Walsh didn't fulfil mum's dream of becoming All Black but he's still world No 1.

Tom Walsh won the World Championship gold medal in London in 2017. He also won a bronze medal at the Rio Olympics in 2016 and a silver medal from the Commonwealth Games in Glasgow in 2014.

Tom Walsh is the world's best shot putter. He has won seven consecutive national senior men's crowns in New Zealand. His indoor and outdoor record is 21.26m in 2014.

Tom Walsh is world's top shot putter. He has a personal best of 22.21m in Zagreb on September 5, 2016 and 21.78m indoors in Portland, United States on March 18, 2015.