From Bronze in 2014 to Gold in 2026: Walsh Recalls Historic Journey That Started in Poland

‘My whole career started in Poland with bronze at the 2014 World Indoors in Sopot. If you told me then that I would still be here winning medals at every edition since then I would tell you you were dreaming,’ said New Zealand’s Tom Walsh after clinching gold in the men’s shot put at the World Athletics Indoor Championships in Poland on Sunday.

Walsh, who threw 21.82m to secure victory, admitted his goal had been to reach 22m but was satisfied with the outcome.

‘It is great to see I can still do it against the younger guys. The energy here is great and this is why I love competing indoors because the energy of the crowd is more focused on you. My goal for today was to throw 22m and win a medal. I did not quite get to 22 but I won gold so it is pretty good,’ he said in a flash quote provided by World Athletics.

The 34-year-old, who previously won world indoor titles in 2016, 2018, and 2025, now owns more world indoor medals than any male athlete in history.

He described the morning final as manageable and highlighted his efforts to give back to the sport.

‘We started a trust to support young athletes back in New Zealand. It is cool we can make an impact. It is a full circle for me, giving back what I received when I was younger,’ Walsh added.

While Walsh celebrated his record-breaking achievement, Nigeria’s Chukwuebuka Enekwechi fell short of the podium.

The 33-year-old, who finished sixth in 2024 and fifth in 2025, managed a best throw of 20.04m to place 11th overall, missing out on the final eight and prize money.