Athletics: Five new names added to NZ Olympic team

1.00pm

New Zealand will send a 13-strong track and field team to the Athens Olympics with the confirmation today of the final five selections.

The New Zealand Olympic Committee (NZOC), in conjunction with Athletics New Zealand, today announced Nick Willis (1500m), Michael Aish (5000m), Stuart Farquhar (javelin), Jason Stewart (800m) and Liza Hunter-Galvin (marathon) will be in the team for the Games which begin in Athens on August 13.

Willis booked his place when he recorded the second best time ever by a New Zealand athlete over 1500m.

He ran three minutes 32.68 seconds in Rome at the beginning of July, a time only beaten by John Walker, bettering the A standard qualifying time of 3m 36.20s.

Aish returns for another tilt at the Olympic Games, this time in the 5000m.

Aish, who ran in the Sydney Olympics, achieved a best time of 13m 23.99s over the distance.

Farquhar, 22, will line up in the javelin event. The Hamilton thrower has a best throw of 79.68 metres.

Stewart, who has won six straight New Zealand championships over 800 metres, including the senior title in 2002, has a best time of 1m 46.28s. Stewart placed seventh at the 2000 world junior championships.

USA-based Hunter-Galvin got the nod for the Games after chalking up a best time of 2hr 36mins 13secs.

The confirmation of these five athletes brings the total number of athletes in the New Zealand track and field squad to 13, including four USA based athletes.

The New Zealand Olympics track and field team:

Men - Michael Aish (USA) 5000m, Craig Barrett (Waikato BOP) 50km Walk, Stuart Farquhar (Waikato BOP) javelin, John Henwood (Auckland) 10,000m, Jason Stewart (Hawke's Bay) 800m, Dale Warrander (North) marathon, Nick Willis (USA) 5000m, and Jonathan Wyatt (Wellington) marathon.

Women - Valerie Adams (Auckland) shot put, Beatrice Faumuina (Auckland) discus, Melina Hamilton (Canterbury) pole vault, Liza Hunter-Galvin (USA) marathon, Kimberley Smith (USA) 5000m,

- NZPA