New Zealand's relay squad of Matt Brown, David Falealili, James Dolphin and James Mortimer ran a solo 4 x 100m relay in a slick 40.61s at Mt Smart Stadium on Saturday.
Donald MacDonald, Chris Donaldson, Nick Cowan and Gus Nketia set the New Zealand resident record of 39.42s in Christchurch in 1997, while Falealili and Dolphin along with Dallas Roberts and Donaldson hold the national record of 38.99s.
Earlier in the afternoon Mortimer, battling a strong head wind, won the 100m in 10.87s. Brown was sharp over 200m beating Dolphin in 21.30s.
Chantal Brunner easily won her 200m in 24.83s.
Beatrice Faumuina threw 57.37m in her opening discus throw of the season at Porritt Stadium Hamilton on Saturday.
Conditions were not ideal, with Faumunia having to contend with a difficult north easterly wind.
"It was tough conditions, it was like throwing into a brick wall," said Faumuina.
"It was a good start for the season and I am now looking forward to competing in Canberra later this month," she added.
It was the first competition for Faumuina since her fourth placing at the Melbourne Commonwealth Games last March.
Also at the Hamilton meeting Ben Ruthe won the 10,000m in 30m 8.05s, beating Iain MacDonald (30m 32.29s).
Kimberley Smith paced the first 2000m of the 10,000m in 5m 47.10s, under the time of 5m 48s set for a New Zealand allcomers and resident record. Anne Hare holds the New Zealand national record of 5m 44.67s. Obviously the time run by Smith can not be applied for, but sets her up well for the Reebok Boston Indoor Games on 27 January.
The authoritative American athletic magazine 'Track and Field News' has made Valerie Vili number one in the world last year in the shot put. Vili was second on the world list for 2006 with her 20.20m, behind Nadezhda Ostapchuk of Belarus who was out to 20.86m. Although Vili lost the world athletic final title to Natalya Khoroneko of Belarus, she clinched the number one spot with her win at the world cup.
Five other New Zealanders were ranked in the top 40 in the world last year. Beatrice Faumuina 13th in the discus throw, Nick Willis 14th in the 1500m, Kate McIlroy 14th in the 3000m steeplechase, Kimberley Smith 22nd in the 5000m and Stuart Farquhar 29th in the javelin throw. The New Zealand 4 x 100m relay team were 27th.
Also the British Athletics Weekly 2006 annual review and their panel of experts ranked Vili number one in the shot put for 2006.
source Athletics New Zealand
