New Zealand record holder Monique Williams will return to Christchurch for the 200m event at the International Track Meet on March 18th, the same meet where she set a New Zealand resident record for that distance in 2009.

Following Williams’ success last year, organisers have given the sprint race high billing, using it to bring the meet to an exciting conclusion.  Williams will face strong competition from Olympic heptathlete Rebecca Wardell, and Andrea Koenen of Wellington, the second fastest New Zealander so far this season. Organisers also expect to secure some high profile Australian competitors within the next few weeks.

Meet Director Craig Motley said “We were ecstatic at how successful the sprint events were last year, with records set in both the men’s 100m and women’s 200m, as it is very important to us that we have a well rounded programme of sprints, field events, and middle distance events.”

Wardell will be in for a busy night with 4 events on her card, as she builds towards the heptathlon at the Commonwealth Games in New Delhi in October.

For further details contact Paul Coughlan  ph 027-2233-028, or Leyton Tremain ph 021-719-900

For further meet information go to www.internationaltrackmeet.co.nz

Beijing Olympic silver medallist Nick Willis put his game face on to telling effect, picking up a double-header win at the Capital Classic athletics meeting in Wellington tonight.

Willis took out the 800m in a shade over one minute 52 seconds before turning his hand to the more unaccustomed 3000m 20min later.

In a race buffeted by blustery southerlies, Willis timed his run to perfection, moving into the lead 600m from home. He rounded early leaders Hamish Carson and New Zealand secondary schools champion Aaron Pulford and eased into the home straight five metres clear, holding off a stubborn Carson for an 8min 15.12sec win to claim the national title over the distance.

Willis said he was more than happy with the time, 29sec below his personal best. It showed he was well on track to defend his 1500m Commonwealth Games gold medal in October in New Delhi, where he also plans to contest the 800m.

Willis said today's races had been vital "to wake my system up again, to learn how to race", after nearly a year off with a hip injury.

"The purpose of doing this was to put myself in a really compromising position where a lot was on the line," he said.

"I had to have my game face on, there was no room for me to be casual about things. Now when I step on the line in these professional races in the US and Europe, hopefully that would have got all the cobwebs out of my system."

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Auckland thrower Beatrice Faumuina continues to make strides towards a fourth Commonwealth Games medal after posting her third qualifying throw of the season.

The gold medallist from the 1998 Kuala Lumpur and 2002 Manchester Commonwealth Games wasted no time getting into her stride at Newtown Park in Wellington last night.

Faumuina's biggest throw of 61.11m passed the qualifying mark for October's New Delhi Commonwealth Games. The 35-year-old had not passed 60m since the national championships in March.

It was her best throw of the summer after showing strong form at Mt Smart Stadium last month.

With blustery winds and cold temperatures compared to her Auckland home, Faumuina made the best of the conditions.

"I was very pleased, after I had a bit of a shaky start," she said. "It was freezing tonight, so it's nice to come out and consolidate on what I did in December."

The world champion from the 1997 Athens championships wants more throws over the games qualifying mark of 56m.

Faumuina's series of throws at the Capital Classic following the first no throw were 59.89m, 61.11m, 60.98m and 59.89m.

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