Athletics: Hurdler proves he is on song

By MURRAY McKINNON

New Zealand junior 400m hurdles record holder Nic O'Brien cemented his No 1 ranking this season with another solid performance, clocking 51.46s over the barriers at Ericsson Stadium on Saturday.

O'Brien, from North Harbour Bays, recorded a slightly faster 51.28s in the league meeting at Papakura last month and leads the rankings by 5s.

Three-times national women's 400m hurdles champion Nicola Kidd started her account for the season with a national top-ranking performance of 59.83s.

All Black winger Doug Howlett, winner of the 1996 New Zealand under-18 100m hurdles title, sharpened up for the upcoming rugby season with a second in the second division of the 200m, recording 23.05s.

Matthew Coad is coming back into the form that won him the 1996 and 1998 national 200m titles, racing to a wind-assisted 21.29s victory over 200m.

Sydney Olympians Ian Winchester and Chantal Brunner were out to their best this season.

Winchester threw 59.13m in the discus and Brunner cleared 6.20m in the long jump.

Aaron Langdon also showed good from in the long jump with a wind-assisted 7.68m.

Meanwhile, in Hastings on Saturday, Hamish Christensen continued his return to top form, following his 3m 56.77s mile last week in Wellington with a time of 3m 40.96s over 1500m.

Christensen, a former national 800m and 1500m champion, will race over 800m in Christchurch on Wednesday before having a crack at Peter Snell's Cooks Gardens mile record of 3m 54.4s in Wanganui on Saturday.

Wellington runner Nick Willis steamed away from the field to win the national under-18 800m in 1m 50.3s, comfortably under his old national record time of 1m 51.47s.

The hand-recorded time has not yet been ratified by Athletics New Zealand.

Nina Rillstone won the Sylvia Potts memorial women's 800m in 2m 14.21s.