Athletics: Willis back on track

A precautionary lay-off may have been a blessing in disguise for Nick Willis as the New Zealand middle distance runner switched back into Commonwealth Games mode at last night's Telstra A Series meet here at Olympic Park.

The US-based Wellingtonian, who is targeting the 1500m at Melbourne 2006, finished third over his less favoured 800m distance, convincing the medal contender he was over a health scare.

Willis sat out three days of training in Wellington last week after his family members were stricken by a virus.

Fortunately it did not extend to Willis.

"My family's been really sick. I managed to hold it off me but I thought there might be a virus lingering in the system," said Willis after trailing Kenyan Cosmos Rono and Canadian training partner Gary Reed to the tape in one minute 47.40 seconds.

"I was worried that I might have had a hiccup this week taking three days off training and then two light days but if anything it gave me a nice rest.

"I feel as though I'm 99 per cent now. It proves it hasn't physically affected me. I've come of it and I was relaxed. I didn't stress too much and it gives me confidence heading into the games.

"As long as I run my best race it will be difficult for the others."

Willis was ninth at the bell but a withering last 200m saw him finish strongly.

"I'm happy. I was shooting for under 1min 47.5sec so that's a bonus.

"I knew as long as the pace was fast enough I should come back in the last 150 and I was lucky I got a nice run on the inside.

"Jason Stewart (New Zealand teammate) had to go wide. I laughed a bit because he probably ran a better race than me physically. We've got a friendly rivalry going."

Stewart wasn't far back in sixth in 1min 47.71secs.

Willis will now spend a week pounding the grassy areas around the MCG.

"If you train on a soft surface you can get an extra 20-30 per cent of volume out of your training with the same effect on your body," he said.

"I need a week of mileage to get my confidence up to feel like a lean, mean distance machine."

Willis aims to shed about 2kg to his optimum race weight of 68kg.

Valerie Vili is already approaching optimum form after cruising to a crushing victory in the shot put.

The current world No 2 and New Zealand record holder issued a statement early, needing just her initial throw of 19.13m to win her competition by almost 3m from Tongan Ana Po'uhila (16.27m).

"It's just a blow out though I've been training and building back up for this (last night)," Vili said after her first competitive outing since the New Zealand nationals in late January.

Vili was loathe to suggest a gold medal was a formality despite a gulf being evident between her and her Commonwealth rivals.

"There's a few girls (in the Games) that weren't there (last night). You can't just assume, it all depends on the day."

Vili is also locked into a strict training schedule and will not compete in Bendigo this weekend, where defending Commonwealth discus champion Beatrice Faumuina will have her first competition since winning the Australian title last month with one throw.

Meanwhile, the bulk of the New Zealand squad competed last night with indications it could be lean pickings on the gold medal front outside of Vili and Faumuina.

Stuart Farquhar won the javelin with a best of 74.95m, 6m down on his personal best, though the field did face a stiff head wind.

World mountain running champion Kate McIlroy had a useful hit out in the 3000m, finishing third in 8min 53.10sec to trail 3000m steeplechase gold medal rival, Tasmanian Donna MacFarlane by 3sec.

High jumper Angela McKee also finished third, recording a height of 1.85m before failing to clear 1.88m, 1.91m and a hopeful 1.95m.

Veteran long jumper Chantal Brunner was fourth with 6.47m -- 44cm short of winner and gold medal favourite Bronwyn Thompson (Queensland).

Melina Hamilton was fifth in the pole vault, clearing 4.20m. West Australian Kym Howe won with 4.50m, 20cm clear of defending Commonwealth champion Tatiana Grigorieva.

The men's 4x100m relay team surprised with a third placing behind Jamaica and Australia.

- NZPA