Athletics: Promising signs in track and field

The hard-line selection policy taken by Athletics New Zealand's new-look administration continued to pay dividends as the Games track and field programme wound down last night.

With his stunning 1500m triumph, Nick Willis joined Valerie Vili as New Zealand's only athletics gold medallists. Behind them though were enough commendable performances - notably Tong Sargisson's great road walk for silver and Angela McKee's high jump bronze - to suggest better times lie ahead.

The dreaded fourth placing went to Craig Barrett in the 50km walk, veteran long jumper Chantal Brunner, defending discus champion Beatrice Faumuina, Paul Hamblyn (behind Willis last night) and decathlete Brent Newdick. Fifth-placed Jason Stewart, in the 800m, and Kate McIlroy (3000m steeplechase) just failed to claim the mock "tin" medals awarded by the New Zealand media to those finishing a place outside the medals.

Athletics NZ performance manager Eric Hollingsworth had forecast such a return. His disappointment was in the 4x100m relay team who had put themselves in medal contention before seeing it all turn to disaster.

Hollingsworth did take heart from his sprinters though, with James Dolphin breaking into the top echelon in the Commonwealth, which is not shy on sprinting talent, by making the 200m final and performing credibly.

Last night, Michael Aish again failed to perform on the big stage, finishing seventh (of eight finishers) in a slow-run 10,000m in 29m 05.55s, almost one minute outside his qualifying time, while Stuart Farquhar was also seventh in the javelin with 77.40m . His personal best of 81.70m would have won gold.

-HERALD ON SUNDAY