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- Harrison Walsh Saves His Best Until Last To Bag World Bronze
By Ian Gordon
Harrison Walsh bagged the first world medal of his Para career as he claimed bronze in the F64 discus in Kobe.
The Swansea thrower snatched the medal with his final throw of the competition at the World Para Athletics Champs in Japan.
Walsh’s bronze added to the golds won by Welsh duo Sabrina Fortune and Holly Arnold.
“I only really got it in the last round,” said Walsh, who produced a final round throw of 52.48m to move above Estonia’s Egert Joessar who had gone into third position after a fifth-round throw of 51.01m.
“I wasn’t at my best by any stretch, there is no excuse there. I have changed a lot after a poor performance at worlds last year, and we are all really excited at what is going to happen with that, but unfortunately, I couldn’t quite get it today.
“The important thing is that I got the job done. I was here to win a medal and that is what I have done. I will look back and enjoy the fact that I have won the bronze, but I just need time to process it all.
Walsh fouled on his first attempt and then settled with a comfortable 50.13m and further improved to 50.50m in round four.
Knowing a bigger throw was within his armour, he went out to 52.48m on his last effort to secure the first global medal of his young career.
USA’s David Blair won with a throw of 60.13m with Croatia’s Ivan Katanusic second with 53.89m.
Former rugby ace Walsh added: “That could have quite easily been fourth today, so it is important to know I can respond well.
“At the end of the day this is still an up, just not as much of an up as I wanted it to be.”
Great Britain medal tally:
Gold (5): Hollie Arnold [F46 Javelin], Jonathan Broom-Edwards [T64 High Jump], Hannah Cockroft [T34 100m], Sabrina Fortune [F20 Shot Put], Dan Pembroke [F13 Javelin]
Silver (1): Thomas Young [T38 100m]
Bronze (2): Zac Shaw [T12 100m], Harrison Walsh [F64 Discus]
