Hall (22), a psychology and commerce student at the University of Otago, improved by 1.27m when he won his third New Zealand senior men's discus title at the Caledonian Ground with a throw of 53.23m.
"I'm stoked to do it at home in front of the big crowd," Hall said. "I felt cool and composed today and knew something big was coming."
His five legal throws were all over 50m and two throws were better than his previous personal best. His sequence was 51.81m, 52.56m, 53.23m, 50.17m, foul, 50.83m.
There was a slight wind from the northwest and Hall used it effectively.
"It came straight at us," Hall said. "It helps the discus to go further when you throw into the wind."
He described his winning throw.
"I felt strong and it was technically all right," Hall commented. "But I dropped my left shoulder and if I get that right, I know there is more to come."
His goal this season is to throw 57m and qualify for the World University Games.
If he does, he will break the Otago senior men's record of 56.86m Robin Tait (Ariki) has held since 1966.
Hall leaves for the United States today for three weeks of competition.
"I can't wait to get Robin Tait's record and I'm confident I'll do the distance while I'm in the States," he said.
He worked hard on the basics last winter under the directions of his coach Raylene Bates and it paid dividends on Saturday.
There was a double celebration in the Bates stable, because Kieran Fowler won the silver medal in the event with a third-round throw of 48.47m. It was a personal best by 64cm.
Fowler, who was promoted to the silver medal in the shot put after a jury of appeal decision, finished the championships with two silver medals.
There was another gold medal for the Bates stable when Hannah Blair (22) retained her senior women's javelin title with a first-round throw of 45.01m.
It was a remarkable performance because she is a first-year teacher near Ashburton and her training has been disrupted in the last six weeks. But she came right on the day and won by 86cm with a throwing sequence of 45.01m, 42.10m, 41.32m, foul, 42.25m, 41.59m.
There was another senior silver medal for Bates-trained athletes when Debbie McCaw threw 50.38m in the women's hammer throw.
Another Otago senior silver medal went to Andrew Moore, in the men's 400m in 46.88sec. It was a personal best by 0.16sec.
He was beaten by Alex Jordan (Tasman) who pushed himself to the limit to run a personal-best time of 46.40sec and qualify for the World University Games.
Jordan's time was the third best by a New Zealand athlete in the event.
"I'm proud of it," Jordan said. "I didn't know where anyone else was. I just ran my own race. The hardest part was up the final straight when I had a lot of lactic acid in my legs."
Moore, who won the title two years ago, was catching round the top bend but could not hold Jordan in the straight.
"I had him on the bends and was catching him at the top of the straight," he said.
He is thinking of racing the Australian championships at Melbourne next month.
Andrew Whyte won a silver medal in the men's 19 400m in 48.49sec.
Roseanne Robinson won her second gold medal in the women's 20km road walk in 1hr 51min 39sec.
Rebekah Greene was pipped at the post by Angela Smit (Canterbury) in the women's 19 800m. Smit won in 2min 07.62sec and Greene was second in an Otago age 17 to 20 record 2min 07.74sec.
Greene sprinted from the bell to win the 1500m in 4min 27.44sec, from Hannah Newbould (Canterbury, 4min 34.48sec).
She took 7sec from Newbould when she ran the last lap in 70sec.
