Nick Willis and Gareth Hyett first up for New Zealand at World Champs
New Zealand will have three athletes in action on day one of the World Championships in Athletics on Saturday in Osaka.

Nick Willis and Gareth Hyett will contest the heats of the 1500m and Kimberley Smith will compete in the final of the women's 10,000m.

For Willis it will be his first competition in 11 weeks, but he is feeling relaxed and looking forward to the first round.
"Qualifying for the final can often be tougher than the final itself," said Willis.
"At the Athens Olympics I ran the last 800m in 1m 48.2s and still missed out on the final."
Two years ago in Helsinki, at the last World Championships, Willis finished sixth in his semi-final, just 0.14s behind fifth that would have qualified him.

Willis missed a lot of his foundation training, earlier this year during the American winter, after suffering from stress fractures in the tibia of both legs.
As a result Willis did not race as extensively in Europe this year, preferring to return to his base in the States to prepare for the Championships.
"I am one or two races shy, but given the circumstances I'm very pleased with the way things have gone."
However two and a half weeks ago Willis contracted a viral infection which gave him a sore throat, similar to the infection he had prior to the Commonwealth Games in Melbourne last year.
"I've recovered quicker than I did before the Commonwealth Games," said Willis.
"Since arriving in Osaka, I have hit the track fast and snappy, ready to go.

"Reaching the final is an absolute priority as I have never been there before, I want to get into the final first before setting sights on a medal," he added.
"I've planned the rounds of the 1500m with my coach, and I will be executing a specific strategy and plan in both rounds," said Willis.
"Trying to get into a final has very much so been a monkey on my back, and I want to take away those concerns for the semi-final in Beijing," he added.

Willis' fianc�e Sierra Boucher, whom he marries on 30 September, and his father Richard and younger sister will be in Osaka to watch him race.

Gareth Hyett said it was a great thrill to be selected for the 1500m.
"It is my first major championship, and I'm positive and if I run up to form, should make the semi-finals," said Hyett.
"I know I'm in the shape I was in when I ran my personal best in March, or even better shape.

"I want to get into it and out of the way before the nerves kick in," he added.
"Hopefully I might meet Nick in the semi-finals.
"My training has been geared towards it and my coach Tony Rogers has done a good job."
Hyett competed at the 2003 World University Games where he finished ninth in the 800m.

Kimberley Smith comes into the final of the 10,000m, with an outstanding run of results this year with fresh New Zealand records in the 3000m, 5000m and 10,000m.
Although Smith believes the 10,000m record of 31m 20.63s, in Stanford in April, was not one of her best performances.
"I wasn't very fit then, and I know that if I was to run one now in good conditions I would run a lot faster," said Smith.
However this time still ranks Smith sixth in the world this year.

Smith says that she is in good form at the moment.
"I would prefer if the race is not too crazy, going out fast from the start.
"I have more speed than some of the girls in the 10km. Some of them are marathon runners moving down and some like me are 5000m runners moving up," said Smith.
"I have a faster 5000m coming to run a 10,000m than some of the others.
"It is a star field with four Ethiopians, a good Russian, Japanese and American runner as well as the Kenyans," she added.
"The conditions will be tough, but despite what pace is pushed along, the defending double five and ten 10km champion Tirunesh Dibaba, will still be able to put in a 55 second last lap, whatever the pace," said Smith.
"I did run over 5000m in the heat in New York and handled it OK, but ran 25 seconds slower than I would have, the heat definitely makes a difference."

It is only Smith's fourth real competition over 10km, but she comes with loads of 5km experience.
Smith was selected for both the 5000m as well, but after looking at the lists for both races decided she had a better chance in the 10,000m.
"It was a hard decision to make and if I had run a bit faster over 3000m, close to 8m 30s I would have gone for the 5000m," she said.
At this stage Smith will be aiming for the 10,000m in Beijing.