A relaxed Beatrice Faumuina enjoyed her first competitive outing of the athletic season, winning the discus throw and taking part in two other field events at the Northern Region qualifying round of the New Zealand league in Hamilton.
With the disappointment of the Sydney Olympics behind her, and lookingrefreshed from a break in training, Faumuina threw 57.87m in the discus, a mighty effort into gale-force winds at Porritt Stadium.
The 1997 world discus throw champion was second to Valerie Adams in the shot put with 13.94m to Adams' 14.85m and third in the hammer- throwing, with 36.64m.
"I'm enjoying my first break since I left school in 1992," Faumuina said. "I want to have a good decent break, so I can go into the next 10 months and really enjoy the sport I love."
April Brough is shaping up for some classy performances in the New Zealand secondary schools championships - at Porritt Stadium in three weeks - after a stunning wind-assisted 100m in 11.88s and 200m in 24.52s.
Brough's Counties Manukau club won the day's competition, from league champions Bay Cougars and the newly formed Waikato Bay of Plenty combination.
