Previous best marks in the women's hepathlon, a seven-event discipline, were broken by Lee-Anne Grosvenor, Alex Lloyd and Jean Hampson.

All three were in fine form throughout the multi-event championship at the La Trobe University Bendigo athletics complex in Flora Hill.

Disciplines in the heptathlon were 80m hurdles, high jump, shot put, 200m, long jump, javelin and 800m.

There were many oustanding performances across the 10-event decathlon which wound up on Sunday evening.

Record-breakers were New Zealand's Bruce Solomon, and Australian team-mates Donald Chambers and Rad Leovic.

Those competing in the gruelling battle for points in the 100m, long jump, shot put, high jump, 400m, 110m hurdles, discus, pole vault, javelin and 1500m ranged in age from 30 to 86.

Brisbane's Dean Nipperess powered to victory in Sunday morning's 10km walk in the heart of Bendigo.

Racing in the 40-45 years class, Nipperess completed the walk in and around Rosalind Park in the city centre in 48.39 minutes.

Although he did not achieve his goal of breaking his Oceania Masters record the walks competitor and coach was rapt to have won gold.

A field of more than 30 ranging in age from 42 to 81 years contested the walk along Pall Mall, through the nearby Park and back along Pall Mall.

These Games are the second Oceania Masters that Nipperess has contested.

His gold medal-winning and record-setting 10km walk at the previous Masters in New Zealand occurred just seven months after making a comeback to race walking.

Nipperess was one of the country's top juniors in 1990 and represented Australia at the eight-nations meet across Europe.

Work commitments with the military, he is still based near Brisbane, meant he gave racewalking away for many years.

The walks ace said one of the Masters mottos was "No age or injury is a barrier".

It was shown by the diverse range of ages represented in the walks action along one of Bendigo's thoroughfares and popular walking spots.

Monday's track and field action starts at 8.30am.

Results from days one and two at the Oceania Masters athletics championships (Australia, unless shown otherwise):

Men's 10km walk - 40-44 years: Dean Nipperess 48.39, David Smyth 58.30.

50-54 years: Simon Evans 55.14, Bernie Keirl dnf.

55-59 years: Colin Heywood 58.16, Peter Fox (New Zealand) 58.48.

60-64 years: Eric Kemsley (NZ) 56.37, John West 74.00.

65-69 years: Andrew Jamieson 52.54, George White 57.11.

70-74 years: Ralph Bennett 59.23, Tony Johnson 69.07, Norm West 81.43.

75-79 years: Geoffrey Major 80.47, Ian Beaumont 88.04.

80-84 years: Colin Silcock-Delaney 84.03.

Women's 10km walk - 50-54 years: Ann Staunton-Jugovic 56.33, Donna-Marie Elms 68.15, Annette Major 70.36.

55-59: Barb Bryant 62.49.

60-64 years: Heather Carr 60.28, Alison Thompson 63.53, Sue Hoskin (NZ) 67.06.

65-69 years: Jacqueline Wilson (NZ) 67.41, Barbara Morrison (NZ) 68.20, Marlene White 71.18, Celia Johnson 71.55, Margaret Trengrove 74.26.

70-74 years: Daphne Jones (NZ) 76.10, Lynne Schickert 77.43.

75-79 years: Margaret Beaumont 92.51.

Women's heptathlon - 40-44 years: Lee-Anne Grosvenor 4068, Vicki Cobby 3085, Toni Phillips 2506.

50-54 years: Michele Hossack 4510.

55-59 years: Alex Lloyd 4292, Christine Bridle 4165.

65-69: Jean Hampson 3884.

Men's decathlon - 30-34 years: Mathew Brooks 3236.

40-44: Geoff Jordan 3133.

45-49: Shawn Hennig 5304.

50-54 years: Bruce Solomon (NZ) 5436, Tim McGrath 5249, Dave Varley 5046, William Barker 4050, Tony Dell 2688.

55-59 years: Greg Simpson 3348, Terry Hicks dnf.

60-64 years: John Neale 2607.

65-59 years: Greg Wilson 4347, Vasyl Shuter 3985, Viddy Jermacans 2760, Raminder Singh 1878.

75-79 years: Donald Chambers 4608.

85-89 years: Rad Leovic 3746.