Athletics: Brunner qualifies, Williams close

By SUZANNE McFADDEN

New Zealand long-jumper Chantal Brunner need not unpack her bags after arriving home from the United States - she's off to the Olympics.

Brunner twice made the 6.65m qualifying mark set by Athletics New Zealand at meetings in Flagstaff, Arizona.

Now the ticket to Sydney is virtually in the mail and she needs just a tick from the Olympic committee to get to her second Games.

After the disappointment of a new national record being disallowed because of a faulty wind gauge, the Auckland lawyer soared 6.66m and 6.65m over the next three days.

Hammer thrower Tasha Williams needs one more qualifying throw to join her and lift the Kiwi team to seven.

Williams beat the 64m mark by 60cm in Flagstaff, but was centimetres off repeating it at her next two meets.

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