The future of British shot put appears to be in safe hands as the final of the British Indoor Championships in Birmingham featured an enthralling battle for gold.
The experienced Rachel Wallader needed to throw an indoor personal best of 17.45m to win gold during a final in which two British women threw beyond 17.40m at an indoor competition for the first time since 1987.
The talented Sophie McKinna also threw a personal best of 17.42m with a final throw that saw her slump to the floor following the exertion, although it wasn't quite enough in the end. McKinna's throw was enough to see her move to sixth in terms of the list of all-time throws by British athletes though, while Wallader's was the fifth-best.
"I managed to pull it out of the bag last year against Sophie so I knew I had that throw to deliver," said Wallader. "I expect a lot of myself so I was delighted to throw a PB, but I really thought Sophie had got me on the last throw – it was a fantastic effort.
"Shot put has grown over the last few years and it is excellent to see Sophie throwing so well. She’s had a rough couple of years so it was great to have that competition. The atmosphere was amazing here; it’s the best I’ve ever experienced at a British Championships – it was a proper showcase of the shot put."
Considering McKinna is only 23 and most shot putters don't peak until their late 20's, there is surely plenty more to come from her.
"There’s elation and disappointment all in 10 seconds, to visually be able to see three centimetres out on the mats is ridiculous but you’ve got to go with it and believe you’re confident and to be in the lead all the way through is a position I’ve never been in before," said a disappointed McKinna. "I knew Rachel was capable of throwing 17.50m at least so I knew I had to be over that and I wasn’t.
"I’m pleased to come away with a medal and to throw a personal best but I don’t want silver, I want gold."
As for Wallader, the 28-year-old can now look forward to representing Great Britain at the Commonwealth Games in Australia, where she will be joined by the USA-born Amelia Strickler, who holds dual-nationality, this spring. Strickler threw a season's best 16.67m to take bronze at the British Indoor Championships on Sunday.
"I coach myself – I have done my own programme so I am learning a lot," revealed Wallader. "I have the Commonwealth’s first where I’m aiming to throw 18m, and then I will target the Europeans later in the year. So I’m going to have to peak twice but I know I am capable of it."
The early signs from the 2018 indoor campaign would suggest this could be a good year for British shot put.
