Valerie Vili and Nick Willis to compete in Melbourne Thursday evening

Valerie Vili steps up for her third outing this season in Melbourne on Thursday evening.
Vili, competing in the shot put, is one of 14 New Zealanders taking part in the Melbourne Classic at Olympic Park.

The Olympic and World champion then travels to Qatar where she will be defending her world indoor title on 14 March. Vili won the shot put at last year’s Melbourne Classic with 19.36m, beating American Kristin Heaston who was out to 17.11m.

Others competing tomorrow evening in Melbourne are, Stuart Farquhar javelin (won last year with 79.17m), Anna Smythe and Monique Williams 100m, Matthew Robinson and Alex Jordan B 400m, Brent Newdick long jump, Nick Willis and Hamish Carson 1500m, Andrea Koenen 200m, Jeffrey Thumath 200m, Adrian Blincoe, Shaun Krawitz and Jason Woolhouse 5000m, and New Zealand have entered a team in the men’s 4 x 400m relay.

The 1500m timed for 9.22pm (Australian time) will feature the Beijing Olympic Games gold medallist Asbel Kiprop of Kenya and the silver medallist Nick Willis. Kiprop has a personal best 1500m of 3m 31.20s and Willis 3m 32.17s, which is the New Zealand national record.
Vili’s shot put competition is timed for 8.50pm.