Athletics: Injury may end Games dream

Chantal Brunner cruises to a win in the womens 100m heats. Ross Land / Getty Images

The jubilation surrounding Valerie Vili's epic shot put record at QEII Stadium yesterday was tempered a few minutes later when crack middle distance runner Kimberley Smith hobbled from the track after winning the 5000m national championship.

Vili deservedly grabbed the plaudits, Smith the sympathy - as she was whisked away, her Commonwealth Games dreams if not in tatters, at least under a cloud.

A frustrated Smith did not want to talk, but Athletics New Zealand performance manager Eric Hollingsworth said later there were mixed messages initially but he was hopeful that medical opinion which diagnosed no [Achilles] tendon damage or muscle rupture would prove correct.

"The next 48 hours are crucial," said Hollingsworth. "Kim will have an MRI scan on Monday or Tuesday back in Auckland to ascertain the extent of the injury. They are talking about 10 days off her feet and maybe running again in two weeks."

Smith, well clear, picked up the pace with 200m to run and immediately felt the muscle "pop".

She struggled home to win in 15m 52.77s - well clear of Melissa Moon but well outside the 15m 06.88s she ran to win Games selection.

The men's 100m final had most at stake yesterday with the first three across the line guaranteed 4x100m relay spots in Melbourne.

In a major surprise, Dallas Roberts (Otago), a member of the team who ran under the 39.30s qualifying standard, failed to get beyond the heats.

The final, run into an annoying head wind, was won by James Dolphin. He held off Chris Donaldson, who had the inconvenience of having to run in the outside lane, and Carl Van der Speck, who grabbed that vital third place.

While Hollingsworth holds no great hope for a sprinter reaching the 10.30s 100m target for Melbourne, Donaldson is in no such mind.

"With half-decent conditions at the Australian championships next week, I'm confident I can go close," said Donaldson, who continues to impress after coming back from injury.

Dolphin, already qualified over 200m, has no such thoughts but remains enthusiastic about the relay.

Stuart Farqhuar, spared of the anxiety of having to qualify in the javelin after throwing 77.76m (chasing 77m) in Canberra on Thursday before flying back to compete yesterday, claimed the title with a 77.12m best.

James Mortimer, wanting a 13.85s 110m hurdles result, found the wind and lack of competition ( two starters) too much, managing just 14.04s.

He, like up to 20 other athletes, is expected to contest the Australian titles next week.

Phil Jensen, keen to have another crack at the Games after claiming hammer silver in Manchester four years ago, edged a little closer to his target with a winning 65.85m effort. He needs 68.50m in Australia to make it.

Chantal Brunner, already confirmed for the long jump, added that title to her collection - her winning 6.42m close to the 6.50m standard. That win completed her daily double after taking the 100m comfortably from Andrea Miller.

Nick Willis was the most impressive qualifier in the men's 1500m. He easily won his heat to go through to this afternoon's final in an event robbed of some interest with the withdrawal, through injury, of Adrian Blincoe.

Paul Hamblyn, like Willis and Blincoe already booked for the Games, should be Willis' only challenger today.

The men's decathlon produced an absorbing first day's competition in the chase for the 7500 points needed.

Jordan Vandermade, still a junior and already qualified for those World Championships later this year, took the early lead with an 11.09s 100m.

The see-saw battle that followed as he, Brent Newdick and Peter Cox picked up good points, pushed them close to their target by day's end.

Newdick, best in the long jump and high jump, ended the day on 4015 points with Vandermade 55 points back and just ahead of Cox (3953), after Cox had taken top points in the shot put and finale 400m.

The women's heptathlon will be close run both in the medal race and the chase for the 5700 points needed for qualification. Sarah Cowley leads Rebecca Wardell by 35 points but both will need good first-up long jumps this morning.