WELLINGTON (Reuters) - Middle distance runner Nick Willis will become the first male New Zealander to compete on the track at five Olympics after being named in the country's athletics team for the Tokyo Games on Friday. The 37-year-old won bronze in the 1,500 metres at the Rio Games in 2016, eight years after taking silver in Beijing. He is joined in the 15-member squad by shot putter Valerie Adams, who will join former sailing gold medallist Barbara Kendall as the only two New Zealand women to compete at five Olympics. Men's shot putter Tom Walsh will also head to Tokyo after clinching the bronze at Rio. Athletics is one of the country’s most successful Olympic sports, with the team claiming four medals at Rio.

Source: The Star April 16, 2021 03:44 UTC