The inclusion of the women's freestyle division for the first time has led to New Zealand naming its first female wrestler for the Commonwealth Games at New Delhi, India, in October.

Wellington's Sian Law, 29, has long been this country's top female wrestler but is yet to test herself outside of Oceania.

Having finished second at this year's Oceania championships, she is now focused on a strong result at New Delhi where she will join a six-strong New Zealand wrestling team named today.

"I'm pretty excited," said Law, who is coached by former Olympic and Commonwealth Games wrestler Graeme Hawkins.

"Going to the Commonwealth Games has been a goal of mine since I started wrestling. I always strive to be the best and the Commonwealth Games is considered a big international tournament."

She said a women's event had been included to reflect international trends.

"Overseas, significant numbers of young women are wrestling. While New Zealand has a small number of female wrestlers, the US has hundreds in each weight class and this is growing."

Team coach Mark Grayling said Law would face tough competition from Canadian and Indian rivals in New Delhi.

Alongside her teammates, Law heads offshore next month as part of their final preparations to compete at the Spanish Grand Prix and British Cup before the world championships in Russia.

Such international experience has been hard to come by for New Zealand wrestlers.

"While have had a small amount of funding for 2010, generally the wrestlers and coaches fund their own training and competition programmes," Grayling said.

"Combined with the fact that wrestling has featured at the Commonwealth Games only twice in the past 20 years, our wrestlers have found it difficult to gain international experience."

The Games team contain some strong prospects, with Hamilton's Aaron Quinlan, 36, who has recovered from a recent neck injury, having extensive Oceania experience in the 96kg freestyle discipline.

Andrei Paulet, 22, who moved to New Zealand from Romania eight years ago, is in his first year of senior competition after having been New Zealand's top junior wrestler.

"Andrei trained in wrestling in Romania before he emigrated and struggles to find wrestlers to test himself against in New Zealand. As a result Andrei will base himself in Romania for the final pre-New Delhi preparation," Grayling said.

The men's freestyle contingent also include Stephen Hill in the 84kg class and Nick Lane in the 120kg class.

Greco-Roman wrestler, Christchurch's Sam Belkin, is the first New Zealand wrestler named for that ancient discipline at the Games.

New Zealand wrestling team for the Commonwealth Games:-

Women

Freestyle, under-51kg: Sian Law (Wellington).

Men

Freestyle under-120kg: Nick Lane (Wellington).

Under-96kg: Aaron Quinlan (Hamilton).

Under-84kg: Stephen Hill (Christchurch).

Under-66kg: Andrei Paulet (Auckland).

Greco-Roman

Under-96kg: Sam Belkin (Christchurch).