Vili favourite going into World Athletic Final

Valerie Vili is a clear favourite, in the shot put, going into the World Athletic Final in Thessaloniki Greece this weekend.

Vili defended her world title with a put of 20.44m in Berlin last month and followed this up with two further victories in Germany of 20.45m and 20.41m.

The 24 year old Olympic champion and world indoor champion leads the world this year with 20.69m and has produced ten of the year's best 11 efforts.

Vili won the world athletic final in Stuttgart last year with 19.42m.

Nadine Kleinert of Germany, second to Vili in Berlin with a personal best 20.20m, should provide Vili with plenty of pressure again. Kleinert was second to Vili at the world athletic final last year.

Natallia Mikhnevich of Belarus, the 2006 world athletic final winner, will be in the mix again, after finishing fourth in Berlin. Nadzeya Ostapchuk of Belarus, who beat Vili at the 2007 athletic final and who was missing in Berlin, is entered. Ostapchuk has a career best of 21.09m and a best this year of 19.88m.

The winner receives US$30,000 and if the world record is broken a bonus of US$100,000 will be paid.

The women's shot put is timed for 3.35am on Monday, New Zealand time.