Athletics: Olympic challenge grows for Vili

Valerie Vili threw 20.08m in Townsville yesterday. Photo / Kenny Rodger

New Zealander Valerie Vili's Olympic Games challenge grows tougher by the day as her chief rival for gold hurls the shot put further.

Nadzeya Ostapchuk of Belarus was in rare form in her home town Minsk over the weekend, winning a local competition with a throw of 20.86m, the best in the world for three years.

Vili responded with a solid best throw of 20.08m at the Oceania Masters championships in Townsville yesterday but it is clear she will need considerably more to win at Beijing next month.

Ostapchuk has improved steadily this year and is nearing her personal best set in 2005 of 21.09m.

The Belarussian was pipped for gold by Vili in the final round of throws at last year's world championships in Japan when the giant New Zealander unleashed a memorable career best of 20.54m.

- NZPA