KEY POINTS:
Valerie Vili was consistent again in the shot put - all her legal attempts were over 18m- and won her seventh straight title at the New Zealand track and field championships in Inglewood yesterday.
In round three she produced her best distance this season, 18.84m.
"It's all coming together," said Vili.
She now looks forward to competing at the John Walker night of miles meeting at Mt Smart Stadium on March 24.
New Zealand's other world-ranked field event athlete, Beatrice Faumuina, was delighted with her 60.71m throw in the discus, taking her 14th national title. This came on top of winning in Melbourne with 60.40m, just 32 hours earlier.
"It was missed opportunities today, I should have gone further today, the conditions were perfect, but I had set myself a tough assignment," said Faumuina.
"It was nice to get one in Melbourne, to return after finishing fourth in Melbourne and throw over 60 metres," she added. "I'm feeling good, injury free and I am looking forward to the world championships."
Defending champion James Dolphin and former champion Chris Donaldson went neck and neck over the line in the 100m in 10.56s, with the photofinish unable to separate them.
For the first time at the championships the result was declared a dead heat.
Dolphin, 23, first won the national 100m title while still at school in 2002 and has won it for the last two years.
Donaldson, 31, said it was a good race and it is seven years since he won the title.
"I've had a lot of injuries, but it is good to be back and I am starting to get quicker," said Donaldson.
The Otago sprinter will join Dolphin in the Australian championships in Brisbane next weekend.
David Falealili, who has not been out of the first four in the last six years, was third in 10.69s.
Dolphin also won the 200m in 21.31s, to collect the sprint double for three years, the first athlete to do it over the metric distances.
Monique Williams, in her second year in the senior ranks, won the 400m and 100m to add to the 200m won on Friday.
"I can't believe it," said a surprised Williams at the finish of the 100m.
Williams recorded a personal best 11.78s in the 100m coming on top of her time of 56.19s over 400m.
Williams won a further two gold medals in the relays for Auckland, taking part in the 4 x 100m event and anchoring them to victory in the 4 x 400m relay.
Stuart Farquhar won his seventh javelin title with a throw of 76.85m.
Eleven years since he last won a national shot put title, Patrick Hellier took gold with a shot put of 15.97m, and he also retained his discus title. Vili's husband, Bertrand, competing for New Caledonia, won the discus event with a throw of 57.51m.
Cory Innes retained his 400m title in 46.97s. Sarah McSweeney further reduced her national women's 17 2000m steeplechase record to 6m 53.02s.
Esther Keown went close to qualifying for the world youth championships in winning the women's 16 1500m in 4m 32.23s.
Nneka Okpala was just 2cm short of breaking the record in the women's 19 triple jump clearing 12.72m.
Tony Sargisson won the 20km road walk in 1m 32m 3s.
