Athletics: Gold prospect confident ahead of final

Valerie Vili

Valerie Vili has the gift for dominating a room in the same way Colin Meads does.

There she was yesterday, all 1.93m and 121kg of her, standing alongside, sorry standing above, several of her Commonwealth Games track and field teammates at a press conference in central Melbourne.

The large room at New Zealand House is done up with couches, tables, a cafe and large-screen TV. It was busy with kids, relations, friends, other athletes milling about.

But Vili had a Pied Piper feel about her. The kids lined up for autographs and she posed happily for snapshots, an altogether more relaxed individual than in her early competitive days when the gladhanding and answering questions didn't come easily.

The 21-year-old is overwhelming favourite for the shot put final next week. Everything screams gold.

Consider that she won a silver at Manchester four years ago. Since then, she has come eighth at the Athens Olympics - a tough experience, but undeniably an important part of her athletic education - won the bronze at last year's world championships; and shoved the ball 20.20m at Christchurch at the national championships in January.

That was the second time a New Zealander had gone past 20m. The other occasion was a few minutes earlier, when Vili heaved it 20.13m.

It's rare a New Zealand athlete is as hot a favourite for Games gold as Vili. It's the same with Beatrice Faumuina, who is chasing her third straight discus gold next week.

Yesterday Vili stuck to the script, with answers which were polite but largely bland.

Yes, everything's going well, she's aiming to do her very best but we'll see what comes out next week.

Fancy being a favourite? Don't assume anything, she'll give 100 per cent, and so on.

There was a momentary diversion from the page when she said that "it's always fantastic to compete in a stadium filled with lots of people screaming and yelling. But it's all about 'on the day' and being in the zone". Get that sorted, she said, then you can "kick arse".

Vili's been doing a fair bit of that recently, so does she target a specific distance or merely make sure she's a centimetre better than anyone else?

"Distance."

Asked if she'd be happy if she threw below par but still won the gold, she looked at the questioner as though he'd said she needed a haircut.

"I wouldn't say that. I always want a good performance. Then I know I've given it my all and can walk away with it fair and square."