Brent Newdick to test his form in Tauranga this weekend

Commonwealth Games decathlon silver medallist Brent Newdick starts his 2011 campaign, leading up to the world championships in Korea in late August, in Tauranga this weekend.

The 26 year old will compete in the two day New Zealand decathlon championship at the Tauranga Domain.

“I’ll be going for title number five, the main thing is the title and as I’m away half the year, still be able to compete in New Zealand,” he said.

Newdick won the title in 2005, 2006, 2009 and last year. He had his best ever year in the event in 2010, taking the silver medal in Delhi and breaking the 8000 point barrier for the ten events for the first time, with his score of 8091 ranking him 18th in the world last year.

“I’m in the middle of solid training at the moment so there will be nothing spectacular this weekend, it will be a good blow out and check up,” said Newdick.

“I’m fit and healthy and looking forward to competing,” he added.

Newdick has a number of decathlons lined up in Europe starting in Italy in early May.

“I’m taking part in the IAAF World Combined Events Challenge with further competitions in Austria at the end of May, Czech Republic in June and Germany in July,” said Newdick.

Competition for Newdick in the national championships will come from 2003 title holder Scott McLaren, Callum McConachy who was second last year and Vojtech Base from the Czech Republic.

Sarah Cowley twice previous senior women heptathlon champion in 2002 and 2009 will compete against national under 16 champion and record holder Portia Ping in the senior heptathlon.

Cowley who competed at the 2006 Melbourne Commonwealth Games was second last year.

Luke Davison on his home ground faces a strong field of nine others in his bid to win the men 16 Octathlon title. Davison was second last year to Phil Simms who has moved up to the men 19 decathlon. An interesting entry in the Octathlon is Jack Henry from Canterbury whose parents Peter Henry and Karen Forbes-Henry both competed, Forbes-Henry winning the New Zealand heptathlon title in 1984.

Simms, the Octathlon champion for the last two years goes up against the defending M19 decathlon champion John Gilmour of Otago. Also in the field with a good mix of strong individual events are Pascal Kethers who was third in the Octathlon last year, Ben Harrison, Thomas Cody and Jaxon Bonnici.

Paige Harwood, second in the W16 heptathlon last year will start favourite for the W16 title. Vianca Du Toit is the only entry in the W19 heptathlon.

Stephen Te Whaiti will be competing in the masters decathlon championship.

Competition starts at 10.00am on Saturday and 9.00am on Sunday.