First XV for Games could be extended

A 15-strong athletics team for the Commonwealth Games could grow.

Four other athletes have been nominated for selection by Athletics New Zealand, including shot putter Jacko Gill, who suffered a heart scare in December.

The 23-year-old was found to be suffering from myocarditis, an inflammation of the heart muscle which hinders its ability to pump blood around the body. It was expected it would be six months before he was back to 100 per cent, but a medical scan in early March could give him the all clear to return to training.

Athletics NZ high performance director Scott Goodman said Gill’s situation was still being discussed. ‘‘The position would be he wants to be nominated to hold the option open if he’s given the all clear, and the discussion is around what he would need to do to show form.’’

Sprinter Joseph Millar and longdistance runners Jake and Zane Robertson are the others still under consideration, while more athletes could be nominated in the coming weeks, if Athletics NZ is allocated extra quota places.

While those on the bubble are forced to wait, the 15 athletes confirmed yesterday can begin their preparations in earnest for the Games, which start in the first week of April.

Middle-distance runner Nick Willis is included for his fourth games, and will run the 1500m, which he won bronze in at the Rio Olympics, and the 5000m. He has medalled in the 1500m in all three of his previous Commonwealth Games appearances

Shot putters Valerie Adams and Tom Walsh and pole vaulter Eliza McCartney are the other headline names in the squad.

McCartney already has an Olympic bronze medal, but will be one of 10 athletes attending their first Commonwealth Games hammer thrower Julia Ratcliffe and 800m runner Angie Smit are the others with previous experience.

Ratcliffe won a silver medal in Glasgow, and will have to prove her form and fitness in the coming weeks to confirm her selection, as will debutant discus thrower Marshall Hall.

Joining McCartney and Hall in making their Commonwealth Games debuts are two other pole vaulters, Olivia McTaggart and Nick Southgate; race walkers Alana Barber and Quentin Rew; hurdler Cameron French; javelin thrower Ben Langton Burnell; 800m runner Brad Mathas and 10,000m runner Camille Buscomb.