Michael Aish and Lisa Hunter-Galvin

What a shocker. You run the A qualifying time for the Olympics and you are not selected. If you are Michael Aish, you run it twice, and don't get selected! What are the NZ athletics selectors doing? This is ridiculous. These people have made the marks (one twice), and they are not selected. We are a struggling nation in the world of athletics, one of the most competitive sports in the world. When you do the time you should be on the plane. Previous performances are not the point. I think the NZ athletics system of selection is too tough all round. Last year for the World Youth's they set harsher qualification times than the IAAF standards (e.g. 4.32 for the girls 1500 instead of 4.35). This is bizzare thinking. It is not as if we are brimming with talent.

So, where Aish and Hunter-Galvin are concerned, I hope they appeal and win their appeals. Whatever their past performances, they have shown their ability to make the games, they should go. Just as Beatrice F has done it. She threw one qualification throw at the last minute and was selected. There is a distinct lack of consistency here!

So... this is a shocker!

Valerie and Mahe... yeah

What a great effort by the Kiwi's at the World Rowing Champs and the World Athletic Champs. Valerie Vili is a legend. She has now won a big one! To win the world shot put champs is utterly incredible. She used to belong to the same athletics club as my daughters; in fact she presented their awards at a recent athletics awards. She is wonderful athlete. Kimberley Smith is also brilliant. 5th in the world on the track up against the African middle distance athletes is sensational! Nick Willis and Nina Rolsten did brilliantly as well; 10th and 13th. New Zealanders have no idea how amazing these performances are! Way to go! These athletes are all incredibly inspirational to my girls who all race for Auckland and hopefully soon for NZ. Go NZ!

And what about the rowing! Fantastic. Mahe Drysdale is brilliant. 3 World championships in a row is absolutely amazing. If he can add gold in Beijing next year, he is truly one of the very greats of NZ sport. By the time he and Valerie are finished I think they will both be on the list for sure! The other rowing gold winners (Kiwi Coxless Four of Carl Meyer, James Dallinger, Eric Murray and Hamish Bond and Duncan Grant in the lightweight sculls) are also amazing. Especially brilliant are the Four who beat one of the most incredible field every coming from last to first! The Ever-Swindell Twins and Twaddle and Bridgewater are also fantastic. I wouldn't write either team off for next year! Being an avid competitive indoor rower, I know a little of the pain these guys go through. They are freaks!

I am sure if the AB's win the world cup as I hope they do; I am sure they will win the ultimate Halberg award; but in the sober light of day considering the competition, I think Mahe and Valerie both had more to beat and a stiffer task to win their golds. I would give it to Valerie actually, in that rowing is not such a global sport.

One other thing; I love Valerie Vili's name because you can spin it around; Go Vilarie Vale!