Nick Palmer (shot putter)

Last updated

Nick Palmer
Personal information
Born13 June 2000
Sport
Sport Athletics
Event Shot put
Achievements and titles
Personal bestShot put: 20.32m (2025)
Medal record
Men's athletics
Representing Flag of New Zealand.svg NZ
Oceania Championships
Gold medal icon (G initial).svg 2024 Suva Shot put

Nick Palmer (born 12 June 2000) is a New Zealand shot putter. He won the gold medal at the 2024 Oceania Championships. [1]

Career

Palmer was raised in Hawkes Bay and was a member of Hastings Athletic Club. He later moved to Christchurch to train with Tom Walsh while also and studying psychology through Massey University. [2]

He won the silver medal in the shot put at the 2017 Commonwealth Youth Games and he competed for New Zealand at the 2018 World Athletics U20 Championships in Finland. He added 34cm to his lifetime best in the shot put with a 19.76m throw at Potts Classic in Hastings in January 2024. [3] [4] The following month, he threw over 20 metres for the first time; throwing 20.06 metres and 20.07 metres in consecutive rounds at the World Athletics Continental Tour Bronze meeting at the Ngā Puna Wai Sports Hub in Christchurch. [5]

He received funding from the Aotearoa Athletics Trust co-founded by New Zealand teammates Tom Walsh and Hamish Kerr. [6] He won the gold medal at the 2024 Oceania Championships in Suva, Fiji in June 2024, with a throw of 19.98 metres. [7] [8]

He set a new personal best of 20.20 metres at the Morton Games in Dublin on 11 July 2025. [9] A few days later, he threw 20.32 metres whilst competing in Germany on 14 July 2025, adding 25cm to his lifetime best in the space of a week. [10] [11] He was subsequently selected for the New Zealand team for the 2025 World Athletics Championships in Tokyo, Japan,. [12] where he finished 15th in qualifying with 20.18 metres, missing a place in the final.

References

  1. "Nick Palmer". World Athletics. Retrieved 12 September 2025.
  2. "On The Up: In the palm of his hand – Hawke's Bay shot putter Nick Palmer closes in on world championships dream". 17 July 2025. Retrieved 13 September 2025.
  3. Laing, Doug (1 September 2025). "World champs chance for Hawke's Bay shot putter Nick Palmer". NZ Herald. Retrieved 12 September 2025.
  4. "Balanced Nick dreams of 20m shot". athletics.org.nz. 25 January 2024. Retrieved 12 September 2025.
  5. "Weekly Roundup: 26 February". Athletics.org.nz. 26 February 2024. Retrieved 12 September 2025.
  6. "Tom Walsh, Hamish Kerr financially back athletes to join them at the top". rnz.co.nz. 12 September 2025. Retrieved 12 September 2025.
  7. "Oceania Athletics Championships". World Athletics. Retrieved 12 September 2025.
  8. "2024 review: Throws". World Athletics. 27 December 2024. Retrieved 12 September 2025.
  9. "Morton Games". World Athletics. 11 July 2025. Retrieved 12 September 2025.
  10. "Sparkassen-Cup". World Athletics. 14 July 2025. Retrieved 12 September 2025.
  11. Laing, Doug (16 July 2025). "On The Up: In the palm of his hand – Hawke's Bay shot putter Nick Palmer closes in on world championships dream". NZ Herald. Retrieved 12 September 2025.
  12. "Kiwi team named for Tokyo World Athletics Championships". Times.co.nz. 1 September 2025. Retrieved 12 September 2025.