New Zealand's Maddison-Lee Wesche competes at the 2024 World Athletics Indoor Championships, Glasgow Photo: PHOTOSPORT
New Zealand athlete Maddi Wesche has hit form ahead of the Olympics in Paris, smashing her shot put personal best in winning a competition in Germany.
Wesche twice threw 19.81m at the Schoenebecker SoleCup throws-only meet, a full 18cm further than her previous best of 19.63cm achieved at the Diamond League meet in China in April.
In the best sequence of her career, the 25-year-old Aucklander achieved the distance in the third and sixth rounds while she also produced a 19.65m heave in her second visit to the circle.
Second place went to German indoor world championship silver medallist Yemisi Ogunleye with 19.53m.
New Zealand shot put athlete Maddison Wesche at the 2022 World Athletics Championships. Photo: PHOTOSPORT
Wesche said she and coach Mike Schofield credited a meticulous season planning for her form as they prepare for competition which will come late in the Games at Paris - with qualification set down for August 8 and the final two days later.
It continues a gradual career progression for the 25-year-old, who claimed gold at the 2018 world under-20 championships in Finland.
She finished sixth at the Tokyo 2020 Olympics (18.98m) and earned a bronze medal at the 2022 Birmingham Commonwealth Games while placing seventh at the last two world championships, producing a best of 19.51m at Budapest last year.