Double Olympic gold medallist Dame Valerie Adams is working her way back into form, twice bettering the Tokyo Olympic qualifying standard at the Porritt Classic in Hamilton on Saturday.
Dame Valerie Adams Photo: Photosport
Adams has been closing in on the 18.50m standard recently, last week winning the Christchurch international track meet with an 18.41m effort - her best throw in almost a year.
In Hamilton, Adams powered out her last two throws to 18.68m and 18.50m, finding the form that should earn her nomination for her fifth Olympics.
In the men's competition, Jacko Gill extended his winning sequence over rival Tom Walsh to four in a row after matching his personal best distance of 21.52m, set only seven days earlier in Christchurch.
Jacko Gill throws at International Track Meet in Christchurch Photo: Photosport
In yet another absorbing showdown between the duo, Gill responded to impressive first and second round efforts of 21.39m and 21.45m from Walsh, to fire out his winning throw in round two.
Walsh unleashed a consistent series with 21.33m and 21.44m efforts in rounds three and four but ultimately it was Gill who maintained his recent superiority.
In the women's hammer throw, Lauren Bruce set a meet record of 73.22m to beat Julia Ratcliffe.
The 23-year-old Oceania record holder, who set that mark of 73.47m in Hastings in September, bettered Ratcliffe's effort of 71.39m by 36cm in round two to take control of the competition.
On the track, Portia Bing set a new 400m hurdles resident record, clocking 55.99sec to better Rebecca Wardell's 18-year-old mark by 0.26sec.
The time was the second fastest of her career and within 0.13 of her national record.