Athletics: Adams returns strongly from illness

12.50pm

Valerie Adams returned to competition with a strong 18.55m shot put at Austria this morning (NZ time).

It was her second best performance of the year and just short of the marks that gained her fifth place at last year's Paris world championships.

She placed third in the IAAF Grand Prix meet in Linz this morning, only 14cm behind the first and second placed athletes who both recorded 18.69m.

That was the same distance Adams herself threw at the Osaka Grand Prix track and field meeting in Japan three months ago, her best effort the year and within 25cm of her best.

Adams, at 19 the youngest member of the New Zealand track and field team to Athens, follows hot on the heels of a fine performance by teammate Nick Willis, who set a huge personal best over 800m at Belgium yesterday.

Willis' time of one minute 45.54 seconds ranks him in the top four over the two lap event for New Zealanders behind Peter Snell, John Walker and Shaun Farrell.

Willis will race next at Zurich in the prestigious 1500m race on Friday night and given his current form sees a possibility for more personal bests and potentially a national record.

Discus thrower Beatrice Faumuina and javelin thrower Stuart Farquhar took wins even though only having three attempts as guests an the Spanish championships.

The warm weather in Almeria, southern Spain was an excellent mirror for what the athletes can expect in the evening sessions at Athens.

On Friday night Michael Aish ran 13min 43.63sec over 5000m at London, while Games teammate Kimberley Smith ran below her best after suffering some foot problems when she recorded 15min 46.09sec, also over 5000m.

- NZPA