Athletics: Vili in sharp form

World ranked New Zealand shot putter Valerie Vili has produced sharp form leading into the athletics world championships starting next week in Japan.

Vili threw her best distance this year of 20.03m in Cairns on Tuesday at a meeting where several of her national teammates were in action.

Her coach Kirsten Hellier said it was the best series of throws Vili had ever produced in a competition.

She will compete again in Cairns on Sunday in her last competition before going on to Osaka, where she competes on August 26.

Nadzeya Ostapchuk of Belarus leads the world rankings this year with 20.34m, followed by the 20.04m of Germany's Petra Lammert.

In last night's women's discus, Beatrice Faumuina came away with a solid best of 58.08m.

Stuart Farquhar won the javelin with a throw of 77.84m, while James Dolphin was second in the 100m in 10.64sec.

- NZPA