Athletics: NZ strikes gold

SYDNEY - New Zealand finished with 28 gold medals after winning 11 titles on the final day of the Oceania athletics championships in Adelaide.

The team, comprising 23 developing athletes, also won 11 silver medals and three bronze in competition against Australia and 17 Pacific Island nations, but team manager Brett Addison was happiest about 11 personal-best performances.

Most medals came in the under-18 category, but New Zealand's under-23 athletes also tasted success in the open division.

Addison said his team's depth was illustrated by their winning three out of the final four relay events yesterday.

Leading the New Zealanders' individual performances were team captains Nicola Morris and Hohepa Poihipi in the open division.

Aucklander Morris won the women's 200m in 25.14s, improving on her silver in the 100m, while Poihipi, of Hamilton, won the discus in tricky conditions, throwing 47.85m.

Tatum Rickard, of Kaiapoi, continued her good form by winning the high jump with a clearance of 1.68m, while Nikki Beckett, of Auckland, cleared 3.20m to top the women's pole vault.

Dunedin's Kate Malcolm added the under-18 triple jump to her long jump title, and Matthew Stratton, of Auckland, made it two hurdles titles with a win over 400m.

Dargaville's Michael Stringer ran a scorching second lap to win the under-18 800m.

- NZPA