Decathlete Jordan Vandermade smashed his own New Zealand junior record to win a bronze medal at the world world athletics championships in Beijing this morning (NZ time).
The 19-year-old Aucklander produced six personal best performances over the 10 disciplines to tally 7807 points.
He was just 43 points short of Cuban silver medallist Garcia Yordani but well behind the 8059 total of Russian winner Vasilyev Arkadiy.
The Les Mills-coached Vandermade, who surpassed the Oceania junior record, was 241 points better than the national junior mark he set in February.
Starting in second place after the first five events, he went on to set three more personal bests today.
They were a 4.40m clearnance in the pole vault, a 60.06m javelin throw and a four minute 47.09 second 1500m, the final discipline raced in sapping, humid conditions.
Vandermade becomes just the fifth New Zealander to win a medal at the junior world championships.
In another result today, Wellington's Nick Kalivati was seventh in his semifinal of the 400m hurdles in 53.08sec, a sound effort in his first major international.
- NZPA
Athletics: Vandermade wins bronze at world junior champs
Decathlete Jordan Vandermade of New Zealand on his way to his 3rd placing in the event today. Andy Lyons / Getty Images
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