Athletics: Newdick, McLaren book Glasgow spots

Brent Newdick in action at the 2012 Olympics. Photo / Mark Mitchell

Two decathletes have been confirmed by the New Zealand Olympic Committee in the Athletics team for the Glasgow 2014 Commonwealth Games.

Scott McLaren and Brent Newdick were required to prove their fitness and have done so over recent weeks.

The announcement increases the athletics team to 22 athletes.

It will be 32-year-old McLaren's first major international event. The former Dunedin athlete, now head of strength and conditioning at St Kentigern College in Auckland won his first national decathlon title in 2003, but has been overshadowed by Olympian Brent Newdick in recent years.

McLaren has overcome foot surgery late last year to regain the form that saw him set a personal best of 7750 points in February 2013.

Newdick is no stranger to international competition, having finished second at Delhi 2010 Commonwealth Games and twelfth at the London 2012 Olympic Games with a score of 7988.

Newdick has also won silver and bronze at the 2009 and 2013 World University Games and has a personal best of 8114 points set in 2011.

McLaren will stay in Europe until the Games, training with Tom Walsh and Valerie Adams in Switzerland while Newdick will be returning to New Zealand to complete his preparations.