Athletics: Vili has shot at greatness

Valerie Vili had two throws beyond 20m yesterday during the shot put yesterday. Ross Land / Getty Images

Valerie Vili allowed herself one quick celebration - more a shrug than a full whoopee - but that raising of her arms at the QEII Stadium yesterday signalled a breakthrough moment in New Zealand sport.

In heaving the 4kg shot 20.11m, Vili broke through the imposing 20m barrier. She returned to the circle a few minutes later to hoist her national record to 20.20m.

It was her sixth successive national title. Her first 20m-plus effort yesterday was exactly 4m further than she managed in winning the first of those titles.

The occasion was not lost on the normally retiring hero.

"I'm so happy to do it here in front of a home crowd," said Vili who opened with 19.49m - the worst of her six attempts - and closed it out with the record-breaker. "All my records in the past have been set overseas."

Her previous best in New Zealand was the 19.44m she threw in Hamilton a year ago.

With only three competitors in the championship and with her nearest rival almost 4m back, Vili had little rest between throws and no serious challenger.

"That was no problem. I was feeling good. Above all else I was happy with my consistency."

It is the consistency that pleased coach Kirsten Hellier as much as the keenly-anticipated 20m effort.

"We have been looking for that consistency," said Hellier. "That has come from working on technique and refining the work we have been doing."

There has been a heavy emphasis on driving Vili's front [left] leg into the board at the front of the circle. "That and video analysis has been the key," said Hellier. "It is not the first time she has thrown 20m - but the first in competition."

Vili threw over 20m in training before last year's World Championships. Less than six months on she has achieved it in competition to further consolidate her standing as the best in the Commonwealth.

Looking ahead to the Melbourne Games, Vili had a warning for her rivals.

"I'll be on the top of my game," she said. "Know I have done 20m. I want to keep that consistency."

The world record, set in 1987 during a drug-clouded period, is held by Soviet Natalya Lisovskaya at 22.63m.

The only athlete ranked above Vili is Nadezhda Ostapchuk (Belarus) who threw 20.51m to win gold at last year's World Championships in Helsinki.

Vili finished third with 19.62m. Earlier, in qualifying she threw 19.87m, which stood as the New Zealand record until yesterday.