Athletics: Mellsop second at Australian champs

Wanganui teenager Caroline Mellsop ran the fastest 3000 metres steeplechase of her life to finish second at the Australian athletics championships in Melbourne on Saturday.

The 19-year-old ran 10 minutes 14.17 seconds to trail Victoria Mitchell home by a little over three seconds.

Canterbury's Tom Walsh threw 17.58m to land second in the men's shot put today, while compatriot Damian Smuts was eighth with a best of 14.66m.

Nneka Okpala was third in the women's triple jump after leaping 12.72 metres

Seventeen-year-old Rebekah Greene backed up her eighth in the final of the women's 800m on Saturday, with seventh in the 1500m today, while Monique Williams, who finished sixth over the 200m at the Delhi Commonwealth Games last year, had to settle for fifth with a sluggish 24.53 seconds.

Veteran sprinter Carl van der Speck was fourth in the men's 100m, with the 33-year-old covering the distance in 10.65 seconds.

Other notable results from New Zealanders at the championships included James Mortimer claiming fifth in the men's 400m hurdles and Billy Crayford clearing 2.08m to finish fifth in the men's high jump.