17 Aug 2008

Vili gold makes Olympic history for NZ

5:14 am on 17 August 2008

Valerie Vili won the final of the women's shot put at the Beijing Games on Saturday, her victory marking New Zealand's most successful day in Olympic history.

New Zealand athletes won a total of five medals, with rowers Georgina and Caroline Evers-Swindell also winning gold in the double sculls.

Cyclist Hayden Roulston raced to silver, while rowers Mahe Drysdale, and Nathan Twaddle and George Bridgewater took bronze medals in their events.

New Zealand's previous best haul on a single day at the Olympics was four medals, achieved at the Seoul Olympics in 1988.

Vili began the competition at the Bird's Nest stadium in stunning form - her first and best throw of 20 metres 56 centimetres bettered her Commonwealth Games record and created a new personal best.

Her previous best was 20.54.

The silver medal went to Natallia Mikhnevich of Belarus with a throw of 20.28, while fellow countrywoman Nadzeya Ostapchuk took bronze her throw of 19.86.