27 Aug 2007

Vili wins gold

11:14 am on 27 August 2007

Valeri Vili has won the shot put gold medal at the world athletics championship in Osaka, becoming New Zealand's first world champion for 10 years.

Vili was top qualifier for the event, but it was only on her last throw that she took the lead with a distance of 20.54 metres.

Defending champ, Belarus's Nadzeya Ostapchuk, came within six centimetres of overshadowing Vili.

Vili's career-best throw was also a New Zealand and Oceania record.