Tori Peeters threw 61.30m in round four to secure second spot. Photo: michaeldawson.nz
New Zealand athletes Tori Peeters and George Beamish both bagged podium placings on day one of the 2023 Diamond League Final in Oregon.
Tori Peeters unleashed the finest performance of her international career to finish her season in style to place second in the women's javelin.
The 29-year-old Kiwi twice breached the 60m line with a 60.53m in round one followed by a very handy 61.30m effort in round four to secure second spot.
For Peeters, who set a national record of 63.26m in Yokohama, Japan in May and who claimed her maiden Diamond League podium in Silesia when placing third in July, it was a quality performance to end a memorable campaign where she has consistently mixed it with the world's elite.
"I'm mind-blown. For me it was great to put out a throw of more than 60m. To place second in the Diamond League final is just wild."
Beamish signed off an unforgettable debut season as a senior steeplechaser by claiming a brilliant third place in the men's 3000m steeplechase courtesy of his prodigious closing speed over the final lap.
Beamish sat in mid-pack through 1000m before advancing to sixth - albeit 20m or so off the pace at the front - at two thirds distance.
However, the 26-year-old powered around the final lap to snag a memorable third place in 8:14.01 - within a second of his national record time.
For Beamish, who only made his senior steeplechase debut in April and who finished an outstanding fifth place finish at the World Championships in Budapest last month, his performance in Eugene was further affirmation of his huge potential over the barriers.
Sam Tanner hacked more than two seconds from his mile PB to run 3:49.51 and climb to second on the all-time New Zealand lists with a superb demonstration of middle-distance running in the Bowerman Mile.
Featuring in one of the all-time great mile races in history in which two area records, five national records, the World U20 record and 11 PB's tumbled, Tanner got on the train and was rewarded with a superb time to take 11th spot.
Running with controlled aggression throughout the 23-year-old Kiwi moved ahead of both George Beamish and Nick Willis on the New Zealand all-time lists with only national record-holder Sir John Walker - with a time of 3:49.08 - now ahead.
Hamish Kerr climaxed his 2023 campaign by placing a solid fourth in the men's high jump with a best of 2.29m.
The 27-year-old could quite reproduce the fireworks from the Zurich Diamond League earlier this month when he cleared 2.33m but still executed a solid performance in a small but quality field.
Zoe Hobbs placed ninth in the women's 100m final, clocking 11.18.
Tom Walsh is the sole Kiwi in action on day two of the Diamond League Final on Monday.
He will be in men's shot put action from 9.09am.
