Pounding the home beat

IAIN MCGREGOR/The Press

TRAINING RUN: Nick Willis runs through Hagley Park yesterday in preparation for the international athletics event at QE II Park on Thursday.

Relevant offers

Kiwi runner Nick Willis hopes to add to an already impressive trophy cabinet at a Christchurch athletics meeting this week, but his biggest prize is in the mail.

The Olympic and Commonwealth Games medallist is in Christchurch for an international track and field event at Queen Elizabeth II Park on Thursday.

Willis said he was excited to be competing in a Christchurch event.

"It's great to have international-quality races back in New Zealand," he said. "Once I got to this level, I really wanted the opportunity to do it in front of my home fans."

Willis did not compete in the Christchurch event last year after a hip injury ruled him out of most of the 2009 season.

His recovery was boosted by news that his 2008 1500-metres Olympic bronze medal was being upgraded to silver after Beijing winner Rashid Ramzi failed a drugs test.

Willis said the silver medal was "in the mail as we speak".

"I've sent my bronze off to Switzerland and the silver medal should be arriving at the NZOC [New Zealand Olympic Committee] any day now."

He could receive the medal at the national track and field championships this month.

Willis said he was looking forward to competing at the Commonwealth Games in India this year.

He was not concerned about terrorist threats and said he trusted New Zealand officials to ensure their athletes' safety.

"It's something I've decided to not pay too much attention to," he said.

Willis hoped to add to his Commonwealth gold medal from the 2006 Games in Melbourne, but there were "a lot of people capable of doing well" at this year's event in New Delhi.

- © Fairfax NZ News