Vili dedicates world title win to dad (+pics)

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GOLDEN GIRL: Valerie Vili waves to the crowd after the medal ceremony.

Reuters

PROUD KIWI: Valerie Vili flies the New Zealand flag after her world championships shot put win.

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NUMBER ONE: Valerie Vili celebrates her world championship winning effort.

Reuters

HERE IT COMES: Valerie Vili makes her world championship winning shot put.

Reuters

SWEET SUCCESS: Valerie Vili kisses her gold medal after winning the shot put at the world athletic championships.

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Valerie Vili dedicated her world championship shot put victory to her late father after winning the title in Japan last night.
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It is only the second time a New Zealander has won an athletics world title. Beatrice Faumuina won the discus gold medal 10 years ago.

An emotional Vili stood on the podium with the gold medal around her neck and later said her parents were foremost in her mind.

"This one is for dad," she told NZPA from Osaka.

"He died just this year (in May) and when I went in there for my last throw my coach (Kirsten Hellier) told me to do it for dad.

"I put everything into it and it was good enough.

"I just looked up at the sky and said 'love you mum, love you dad'."

Her mother had died in 2000.

Vili, 22, shattered her own national and Oceania record (20.20m) with the heave - 20.54m.

The Aucklander had left her best until the last.

The 2006 Commonwealth Games champion overcame a little disruption - having her sixth and final throw delayed due to false starts in the nearby women's 100m quarterfinals - to break the New Zealand and Oceania record which had stood at 20.20m.

The last of her throws saw her overtake 2005 world champion Nadezya Ostapchuk, of Belarus, who had led the competition from the first round with an effort of 20.04m.

Whereas Ostapchuk had fouled three of her throws Vili was a model of consistency, opening with 19.89m to sit second and following up with 19.74m and 19.80m before a fourth-round foul preceded her next of 19.95m.

Vili stepped into the circle for the last time with everything on the line - and delivered.

As soon as she saw the shot land beyond the 20m mark, she jumped with joy and fisted the air in celebration.

Then Ostapchuk stepped up to take her last throw. It also landed beyond the 20m mark.

"It was a few anxious moments for me then."

When Ostapchuk came up short in the final throw of the competition with 20.48m, Vili rushed to the nearby grandstands, borrowed a New Zealand flag and saluted the applause of the crowd.

She had earlier qualified top for the final, heading the two pool groups with a throw of 19.45m, while Ostapchuk squeaked in as the last of the 12 qualifiers with 18.72m.

Vili said Hellier shouted to her to do it for her dad just before she went in to take her last throw.

"I looked up to the sky and all I could think about was getting to the middle and smacking the crap out of it. And to walk away with a world title, national and Oceania record - can't ask for more than that.

"It was an intense competition. Nadzeya Ostapchuk - she's a great competitor and I have a lot of respect for her and she came out and did another good throw in that last round.

"I'm a pretty happy lady tonight. I celebrated with a quiet glass with the team officials and my coach and a few teammates tonight. But my real celebration will be in my own quiet way."

Vili said she would remain with the team for the rest of the championships to support them.

Her result bodes well for New Zealand at next year's Beijing Olympics.

Vili won the world youth championship in Debrecen, Hungary, in 2001 and world junior championship in Kingston, Jamaica in 2002. She competed at the last two world championships, finishing fifth in Paris in 2003 and third in Helsinki in 2005. Last year she won the Commonwealth Games gold medal with a 19.66m effort.
-NZPA