Athletics: Cracking throw maintains momentum for Hall

Marshall Hall (Taieri) cracked the 50m barrier for the first time when he threw his discus 51.39m at the Sydney Track Classic at the weekend.

It was a personal-best distance by 1.80m and takes him closer to 1974 Commonwealth Games champion Robin Tait's 44-year-old Otago record of 56.86m, set in 1966.

Hall, the New Zealand senior champion, leads the national rankings and is followed by club-mate and training partner Keiran Fowler, who shares second spot with Keri Tongalea (Auckland) on 49.28m.

It has been a good season for Hall.

He won the discus gold medal at the Oceania Games on the Gold Coast in August when he beat Olympian Shaka Sola (Samoa).

Hall (21) has targeted the World University Games in Erzum, Turkey, in 2011 and is using this season as a stepping stone to reach the standard.

He must throw 57m to get to the World Student Games.

The qualifying standard for this year's Commonwealth Games in India is 60m.

It is not a realistic target for Hall.

The other good news for Otago at the weekend was the selection of Hill City runners Val Muskett and Matthew Bixley to represent New Zealand in the 24-hour world championships in Brive, France on May 13-14.

Muskett gained selection for her performance at the Commonwealth championships in England last year when she reached the A grade category by running 201.431km.

Muskett won the silver medal at the New Zealand 100km championships in Auckland last weekend.

Her time of 9hr 24min 24sec was her fastest for 14 years.

Bixley won the New Zealand 24hr championships in Auckland when he covered 201.2km.

He will make his international debut in Brive.

It will be the ninth international for Muskett, whose international career started in 1997.

She has competed in five 100km championships and this will be the fourth time she has represented the country in the 24-hour race.

Muskett has also competed in three world and one Commonwealth championships.