The New Zealand track and field championships start in Auckland today. Alistair McMurran looks at Otago's top gold medal prospects.
Marshall Hall (discus)
Hall (24) has won the senior men's discus title for the last four years and can be expected to capture his fifth title. He is streets ahead of the opposition with his top ranking this season of 51.72m. His target is to reach the qualifying standard for the World University Games, in Russia in July.
Rozie Robinson (walk)
Robinson (22) is set to win her third successive senior women's double in the 3km track walk (best time 13min 42.30sec) and the 20km road walk (1hr 45min 46sec). Her target is also to qualify for the World University Games.
Andrew Whyte (400m)
Whyte (19) won the national junior title last year but knows it will be more difficult when he steps up to senior ranks.
He has been injured for most of the season but recovered in time to run the fastest time in the country this season of 47.10sec earlier this month.
He will be challenged by his training partner, Daniel O'Shea, who has the third best time in the country this season with 47.35sec. O'Shea is also a prospect in the 400m hurdles, where he is ranked third with a time of 52.20sec.
Ben Anderson (800m)
Anderson (21) has made rapid progress this season and could be the dark horse in the 800m. He is ranked third with his best time of 1min 52.01sec.
Olympian Nick Willis is ranked first but he is not competing in the championships. Anderson has a blistering finish and could win the gold medal in the 800m and 1500m if the pace is slow.
Christina Ashton (100m hurdles)
Top ranked in her specialist event with 14.94sec and could add the gold medal to the title she won in the 80m hurdles at the New Zealand secondary schools championships in December. She will contest the women's under-18 event.
Dean Rusbatch (throws)
Ranked second in the men's under-20 hammer throw with 55.70m and third in the shot put with 15.32m.
