Nick Willis finishes runner-up in Christchurch

For the second time in as many weeks, New Zealand's 1500 metre Olympic silver medallist Nick Willis had to bow to the superior form of rising Australian track star Jeff Risely.

In tonight's international 800 metres clash at Christchurch's QEII Stadium, the talented Risely ran a canny race to record one minute 47.75 seconds, a tiring Willis seemingly giving up his challenge with about 15 metres to the line.

A disappointed Willis, who clocked 1min 48.12sec, said he gave his best before a partisan Christchurch crowd but the extra distance he had to cover running wide around the final bend, when Risely made his move to the front, was too much.

"He made a nice move down the back straight - I covered it but I was forced wide to lane three with 150 (metres) to go," Willis said. "There's work to be done but that only makes me more hungry.

"It was great to hear the crowd get in behind me for the last 80 (metres) and I was frustrated I couldn't respond and give them something extra to cheer for," Willis said.

Risely beat Willis in a Melbourne 1500 metres two weeks ago, when Willis chose to set the pace from the front, bursting past the New Zealander in the straight. This time Willis was content to sit in fifth position for the first 600 metres but when Risely made his move to the front Willis still had to make ground around other runners on the bend.

"Very frustrating. I want to be the best - we know where we're at now and there's definitely still work to be done," Willis said of their pending clash at the New Delhi Commonwealth Games later this year.

The 23-year-old Risely certainly showed he is a rising star and the Australian now looms as a serious threat to Willis in both the 800 and 1500 metres.

"I looked around and saw I had a bit of a gap and realised I didn't really have to grind it out," Risely said of tonight's win.

The Australian, who prefers the longer distance, said he looks forward to a really good rivalry with Willis in the next few years.

"He's the guy I'm after and I've beaten him twice in the last two weeks," Riseley said.

New Zealand's other big drawcard, discus thrower Beatrice Faumuina also had to play second fiddle to an Australian but this was expected against the talent and power of reigning world champion Dani Samuels.

Both throwers put on a magnificent display of discus throwing, Samuels throwing 63.38 metres and Faumuina 61.10. While Faumuina may not be back to the full glory of her past reign, she was beaming about her form and consistency before the Delhi Games.

"It's nice to see it's coming back, I'm really positive and happy," she said.

Faumuina said she was looking forward to the upcoming national championships in Christchurch later this month and will stay at home for the winter leading into the Commonwealth Games.

- NZPA