Valerie Vili, ranked number two in the world last year in the shot put, heads an initial team of 11 selected to compete at the 11th world championships in athletics.

The championships are to be held in Osaka Japan from 25 August to 2 September.

There are five men and six women named by Athletics New Zealand in the initial selections.

Vili who had a qualifying put of 20.20m in the shot put is joined by Beatrice Faumuina discus throw (63.30m), Liza Hunter-Galvan marathon (2h 33m 51s), Kate McIlroy 3000m steeplechase (9m 32.54s), Nina Rillstone marathon (2h 29m 46s) and Kimberley Smith 5000m (14m 56.58s).

Commonwealth Games 1500m gold medallist in Melbourne last year, Nick Willis has been selected in the 1500m (3m 32.17s) along with silver medallist in Melbourne Tony Sargisson 50km walk (3h 58m 5s), Stuart Farquhar javelin throw (81.70m), Dale Warrander marathon (2h 17m 43s) and James Dolphin 200m (20.72s). Dolphin has been selected with a B standard and fits within the selection criteria as a development athlete.

Vili was world youth shot put champion in Debrecen Hungary in 2001 and world junior champion in Kingston Jamaica in 2002. Vili has competed at the last two world championships, finishing fifth in Paris in 2003 and third in Helsinki in 2005. Last year Vili won the Commonwealth Games gold medal in the shot put, was second in the world athletic final and a week later in September won the shot put at the world cup competition in Athens.

It will be ten years since Faumuina won the world title in the discus throw in Athens. Faumuina has competed in three subsequent world championships, finishing fifth in Seville in 1999, 13th in Paris in 2003 and fourth in Helsinki two year's ago.

Willis just missed out on a place in the final of the 1500m at the 2005 Helsinki world championships, after finishing sixth in his semi-final. Willis was just 0.14s behind fifth place that would have qualified him for the final.

Smith was 15th in the 10,000m and Hunter-Galvan was 39th in the marathon at the Helsinki championships.

Further selections are expected and these will be made by August.

Four marathon runners, who had qualified, were unavailable for selection. They were Michael Aish, John Henwood, Rebecca Moore and Jonathan Wyatt.

Athletics New Zealand team for

11th IAAF World Championships in Athletics

Osaka, Japan 25 August - 2 September.

Men:

James Dolphin (Auckland) 200m.

Stuart Farquhar (Hamilton) javelin throw.

Tony Sargisson (Auckland) 50km walk.

Dale Warrander (New Plymouth) marathon.

Nick Willis (Overseas based) 1500m.

Women:

Beatrice Faumuina (Auckland) discus throw.

Liza Hunter-Galvan (Overseas based) marathon.

Kate McIlroy (Wellington) 3000m steeplechase.

Nina Rillstone (Auckland) marathon.

Kimberley Smith (Overseas based) 5000m.

Valerie Vili (Auckland) shot put.

Manager: Raylene Bates.

Coaches: John Bowden, Kirsten Hellier, Debbie Strange.

Physiotherapist: Helen Littlewood.

Masseur: Nic Blackie.