KEY POINTS:
Beatrice Faumuina has hardly given herself a peaceful buildup as she chases her 14th title at the national athletics championships starting in Taranaki today.
Discus queen Faumuina competes in Melbourne tonight, returns to New Zealand tomorrow and on Sunday will try to go one step closer to Val Young's tally of 18 national crowns.
The former world champion won her first title in 1993 and has been unchallenged since, something that should continue on the final day of the Inglewood event.
Also competing on Sunday is shot put star Valerie Vili, chasing her seventh consecutive title.
Vili opened her season with an 18.32m best in Christchurch last week, and on Saturday extended that to 18.56m in Auckland.
Andrea Miller set a New Zealand women's 100m hurdles record of 13.30s in Brisbane last Saturday and has also been invited to compete in Melbourne tonight.
Because of this, she will miss the women's national 100m final tomorrow but will line up in Sunday's 100m hurdles.
The women's 100m should be a top-class battle between Chantal Brunner, Anna Smythe, Monique Williams and April Brough.
The men's 100m final is likely to include Chris Donaldson, James Dolphin, Craig Bearda, Matt Brown, Carl van der Speck, James Mortimer and David Falealili.
Mortimer will have the benefit of Australian 110m hurdles record holder Kyle Vander-Kuyp in the field in the 110m hurdles.
Vander-Kuyp is one of 11 Australians who will be competing at the New Zealand championships.
Otago's Kellie Palmer will chase an 800m/1500m double, and Paul Hamblyn will be having his first race in New Zealand since his fourth place in the 1500m at last year's Melbourne Commonwealth Games.
Hamblyn has entered the 5000m, where he will be up against Rees Buck, Phil Costley and Dale Warrander.
Stuart Farquhar will be aiming for his seventh javelin title, Philip Jensen is seeking his 13th hammer success, and Melina Hamilton her 12th pole vault crown.
A broken leg has put Angela McKee out of the women's high jump.
New Zealand's silver medallist at the Melbourne Commonwealth Games Tony Sargisson will contest the 3000m track walk and the 20,000m road walk.
The New Zealand marathon championship will be held in conjunction with the championships.
It is the Mountain to Surf event from Egmont National Park to Waitara tomorrow morning.
- NZPA
