In her first full heptathlon for two years, Beijing Olympian Rebecca Wardell is right on target to hit the qualifying standard for the London Olympics at the Ratingen multi-event athletics meeting in Germanhy.
Wardell, who has been training in Switzerland, has struggled on and off with injury since posting a 5989-point total to finish 22nd at the Beijing Games four years ago.
She was forced out of the 2010 New Delhi Commonwealth Games heptathlon with a fractured foot, and hasn't been able to compete since.
However, two personal bests on the first day of the seven-event discipline gave her the overnight lead in the ErdgasMehrkampf meeting in Ratingen.
Wardell opened with a solid 14.02sec in the 100m hurdles, then hit a 4cm personal best in clearing 1.75m in the high jump.
She also posted an all-time best in the shot put with 15.30m, 56cm better than her previous mark of 14.74m, before finishing the day with a 24.50sec 200m.
Her 3706 total is just 44 points clear of second-placed Julia Machtig of Germany, with three events remaining overnight (NZT) - long jump, javelin and 800m.
Training partner and teammate Sarah Cowley, who has achieved the Olympic B standard of 6050 points with a 6135 effort in Austria last month, is also competing and lies fifth with 3495 points.
NZN