Athletics: NZ record out-thrown by Valerie

Olympic shot putter Valerie Vili smashed her New Zealand record yesterday, becoming the first Kiwi woman to break the 19-metre barrier.

Vili, who was Valerie Adams until her marriage to New Caledonian discus thrower Bertrand Vili, threw 19.29m in cold conditions at Auckland's Ericsson Stadium yesterday.

It shattered her 18.96m personal best thrown at the Australian Championships earlier this year and added an incredible 38cm to her New Zealand Allcomers and Residents record set at the 2003 New Zealand championships at Dunedin.

Vili was visibly disappointed with her eighth-placed finish at Athens this year - the shot put was held at the site of Ancient Olympia - but this performance would have gained her fourth spot.