Athletics: Cowley on target for top heptathlon score

Sarah Cowley. Photo / NZPA

Defending champion Sarah Cowley is on target for a personal best performance in the heptathlon at the New Zealand combined events championships in Palmerston North after the first day of competition today.

Three of the Aucklander's first four events, the 100m hurdles (13.86 seconds), high jump (1.82m), and 200m (25.24 secs) were better than those when she set a personal best total of 5742 at last year's championships in Tauranga.

Cowley's total after the first day is 3548, 111 points up on last year at the same stage. Emily Baker, on 2827 points holds second, ahead of Tracey Hale on 2709.

"The day went very well and has put me in a good position to really push on tomorrow" said Cowley. The London 2012 Olympic Games heptathlon standard is 6050 points.

In the men's competition, defending champion Scott McLaren was forced to withdraw while in second place after the high jump to protect an Achilles tendon injury, leaving the competition wide open for newcomers Nick Gerrard and Matthew Wyatt, both from Auckland.

It couldn't be any closer at the end of the first day, with the scores tied on 3748 points. Wyatt finished ahead of Gerrard in the 100m, long jump and 400m but Gerrard was better in the high jump and shot put. Local Zac Topping is in third place on 3001 points.

Brent Newdick, who has already achieved the London 2012 Olympic standard, is competing in an international indoor heptathlon in Talinn, Estonia, this weekend.