Tori Peeters regained her senior women's javelin title at the New Zealand track and field championships in Wellington on Saturday and now holds the national record.
With her third throw, Peeters (20), a physical education student at the University of Otago, broke the record former Olympian Kirsten Hellier (Auckland) had held for the last 15 years.
She beat the record by 26cm with her throw of 54.45m. It was a personal best by 1.62m. She also beat the old record with her sixth throw of 54.36m.
Peeters beat silver medallist Stephanie Wrathall (Auckland) by 8.88m. She won the title in 2012 but lost it last year.
She described the record-breaking throw.
''I felt relaxed, the technique was good. It felt effortless,'' Peeters said.
''When I heard the distance, I rushed over to the boundary fence and gave my coach Raylene Bates a big hug.''
Ben Anderson finally came of age at national level when he won the silver medal in the senior men's 800m in 1min 54.34sec. Defending champion Daniel O'Shea will be disappointed with his silver medal in the senior men's 400m hurdles. He gained more satisfaction by winning the bronze medal in the 200m in 21.80sec.
Anna Grimaldi broke four New Zealand records in AWD Para 47 events - 100m (13.58sec), 200m (28.39sec), 400m (66.41sec), long jump (4.84m) - when winning the gold medals.
Holly Robinson won the AWD women's javelin title with 34.06m.
Christina Ashton won two gold medals in the women's 18 grade.
She convincingly won the 100m hurdles in a wind-assisted 13.97sec from Phoebe Edwards (Wellington) 14.03sec.
She broke the Otago record with her heat time of 14.15sec and was also a key member of the 4x100m relay team that won the gold medal in the grade with a time of 49.05sec.
The other members of the team were Jasmine Ng, Sydney Evans-Tobata and Caitlyn George. The four 16-year-olds broke the Otago record for women aged 16, 17, 18, 19 and 20.
Alexandra's Andriana Mawhinney, who is coached by 1990 women's high jump gold medallist Tania Murray, won the gold medal in the women's 18 triple jump with a wind-assisted 11.56m. She broke the Otago record with a legal 11.32m earlier in the competition.
Otago athletes won 23 medals at the championships - 12 gold, six silver and five bronze.
Last year Otago athletes won 27 medals - nine gold, eight silver and 10 bronze.
Other Otago silver medallists from the weekend were: Robert Jopp, men's 20 400m (49.04sec); Ray Wang, men's 20 3km steeplechase (10min 26.36sec); Rozie Robinson, senior women's 20km walk (1hr 46min 06sec); Maddy Spence, women's 18 300m hurdles (46.03sec); Libby Jones, women's 20 discus (39.97m).
Bronze medallists were Felix McDonald, men's 18 110m hurdles (15.45sec); Bradley Tarleton, men's 20 hammer throw (45.51m).
Otago gold medallists
Rory McSweeney, Anna Grimaldi, Sian English, Marshall Hall, Christina Ashton, Jasmine Ng, Sydney Evans-Tobata, Caitlin George, Holly Robinson, Andriana Mawhinney, Tori Peeters.
