IT'S MIDDAY. ANOTHER 24 HOURS OF POLITICAL TURMOIL. THE ROLLER COASTER CONTINUES SIX AND A HALF WEEKS OUT FROM POLLING DAY. 'NO IMMINENT THREAT.' THAT'S THE WORD FROM THE UNITED STATES NOW ABOUT NORTH KOREA. BUT THE WAR OF WORDS IS CONTINUING. HOW AN INTERNATIONAL ART PROJECT IS HELPING MALE SURVIVORS OF SEXUAL ABUSE TO OVERCOME THEIR PASTS. AHI AHI MARIE, GOOD AFTERNOON. FIRST ON MIDDAY, POLITICAL BATTLE LINES ARE BEING REDRAWN SIX AND A HALF WEEKS OUT FROM THE ELECTION AFTER YET ANOTHER TUMULTUOUS 24 HOURS ON THE CAMPAIGN TRAIL. NEW POLL FIGURES HAVE LABOUR SURGING NINE POINTS, WITH LEADER JACINDA ARDERN CLOSELY CHASING BILL ENGLISH IN THE PREFERRED PM STAKES. THE GREENS, MEANWHILE, ARE TAKING STOCK AMID POOR POLL RESULTS AND THE RESIGNATION OF CO-LEADER METIRIA TUREI. OUR POLITICAL EDITOR CORIN DANN'S ACROSS ALL DEVELOPMENTS. CORIN, ARE THE GREENS IN DAMAGE CONTROL TODAY? They surely are. They are holding a meeting to try and reboot their campaign. The damage has already been done to this party over the last week or so in particular since Friday and when those two Mps announced they would quit and now the resignation of Metiria Turei. James Shaw has had to take up the responsibility, regather the troops and figure out how they can bolster their support which is clearly falling in the polls. SO, THE THING IS OUR NATURAL LEVEL OF SUPPORT IS AROUND 10% TO 11%. I HAVE EVERY CONFIDENCE THAT IN THE NEXT SIX WEEKS NOT ONLY CAN WE RECOVER THAT BUT ACTUALLY DO BETTER THAN THAT. The problem for the Greens and for Winston Peters to a lesser extent as the Jacinda Ardern effect. Labour now has a leader who is re-energising their supporters. The problem for the Greens as the voters who may be flirting with them look to be drifting back to Labour. Hard for the Greens to call them back. Winston Peters seems to also have lost some votes to labour. You have to think that it is playing into the hands of Labour at the moment. CORIN, WHERE THIS ELECTION IS GOING SEEMS TO BE ANYONE'S GUESS, BUT IS IT SHAPING UP TO BE A TRADITIONAL LABOUR-NATIONAL DUEL OF PRE-MMP DAYS? It looks like we are heading towards a scenario where we have a stronger Labour. We have a weakened and wounded Green Party. An unknown is Winston Peters. What will he do to respond to this latest development? He doesn't like to be out of the spotlight belong. He needs media oxygen. He will try and get that. He is campaigning in the Waikato today. So is Jacinda Ardern in her home town of Morrinsville. So is Bill English. It has a real campaign feel about it today. Winston Peters will get squeezed out as those two major parties look to dominate. GREENPEACE IS TAKING A PRIVATE INVESTIGATION COMPANY TO COURT OVER ALLEGATIONS THE FIRM SPIED ON SOME OF ITS STAFF AND VOLUNTEERS. THE ENVIRONMENTAL GROUP SAYS THIS FOOTAGE SHOWS VEHICLES TOWING A GREENPEACE INFLATABLE BOAT WERE FOLLOWED BY A VAN. GREENPEACE IS SEEKING A COURT INJUNCTION ON THE ALLEGED SURVEILLANCE. THEY CLAIM THOMPSON AND CLARK INVESTIGATIONS HAVE BEEN TRAILING STAFF FOR YEARS AND BELIEVE BIG OIL COMPANIES ARE BEHIND THE ALLEGED SPYING. THOMPSON AND CLARK HAVE RESPONDED SAYING THEY NEVER DISCUSS CLIENTS, ARE BEMUSED BY THE CLAIMS AND ACCEPT THEY'LL NOW HAVE TO FOLLOW COURT PROCEEDINGS. IN A LANDMARK DECISION, A MINING COMPANY'S BEEN GIVEN THE GREEN LIGHT TO PROCESS 50 MILLION TONS OF IRON SAND A YEAR FROM THE SOUTH TARANAKI SEABED. A FOUR-PERSON COMMITTEE CAME TO A SPLIT DECISION OVER THE TRANSTASMAN RESOURCES APPLICATION, BUT THE VOTE OF THE CHAIRMAN TIPPED THE SCALE. CONSENT'S BEEN GRANTED WITH CONDITIONS, INCLUDING THAT THE COMPANY MUST ENSURE THERE'S NO DECLINE IN THE POPULATION OF BLUE WHALES IN THE AREA. THICK FOG BLANKETED THE GARDEN CITY THIS MORNING, CAUSING A MASSIVE BACKLOG OF FLIGHTS AT CHRISTCHURCH AIRPORT. MORE THAN 20 FLIGHTS WERE AFFECTED BY THE FOG, FORCING SOME CHECK-INS TO BE SUSPENDED. SOME FLIGHTS HAVE SINCE RESUMED. BUT A CHRISTCHURCH AIRPORT SPOKESPERSON SAYS UNTIL MORE AIRCRAFT LAND, DEPARTING PASSENGERS WILL BE DELAYED. PRIME MINISTER BILL ENGLISH IS SET TO VISIT CHRISTCHURCH TODAY, BUT THE HAZE FORCED HIS FLIGHT TO DIVERT BACK TO WELLINGTON. NEW WARNINGS TODAY FROM THE TRUMP ADMINISTRATION TO NORTH KOREA ` THE DEFENCE SECRETARY JAMES MATTIS TELLING NORTH KOREA TO STOP ACTIONS THAT COULD LEAD TO THE 'END OF ITS REGIME.' IT COMES AS THE RHETORIC ESCALATED, WITH NORTH KOREA THREATENING TO STRIKE THE TERRITORY OF GUAM. THE ABC'S CECELIA VEGA WITH THE LATEST. PRESIDENT TRUMP'S WARNING SHOT FIRED DIRECTLY AT PYONG YANG TONIGHT IS SENDING SHOCKWAVES AROUND THE WORLD. BUT ABC NEWS HAS LEARNED THAT THREAT CAUGHT SOME IN THE PRESIDENT'S OWN INNER CIRCLE BY SURPRISE. THE PRESIDENT IN THAT STATEMENT USING LANGUAGE NOT VETTED OR PRE-APPROVED BY HIS NATIONAL SECURITY TEAM. NORTH KOREA BEST NOT MAKE ANY MORE THREATS TO THE UNITED STATES. THEY WILL BE MET WITH FIRE AND FURY LIKE THE WORLD HAS NEVER SEEN. SOURCES CLOSE TO THE PRESIDENT SAY BEHIND CLOSED DOORS WITH TOP AIDES, INCLUDING NEW CHIEF OF STAFF, GENERAL JOHN KELLY, PRESIDENT TRUMP HAD DISCUSSED TAKING A TOUGHER TONE ON PYONG YANG, BUT EVEN MEMBERS OF HIS OWN NATIONAL SECURITY TEAM HAD NO IDEA THE PRESIDENT WOULD GO SO FAR. WITHIN A FEW HOURS, NORTH KOREA RESPONDED WITH ITS OWN WARNING, SAYING IT IS SERIOUSLY CONSIDERING A PLAN TO TARGET GUAM WITH MISSILES. THE US TERRITORY, HOME TO CRUCIAL MILITARY BASES AND 160,000 AMERICANS, IS JUST 2000 MILES AWAY. THEN TODAY, REX TILLERSON SENT A MESSAGE OF HIS OWN, LANDING IN GUAM, OFFERING VERY DIFFERENT WORDS. WHAT THE PRESIDENT IS DOING IS SENDING A STRONG MESSAGE TO NORTH KOREA IN LANGUAGE THAT KIM JONG UN WOULD UNDERSTAND, BECAUSE HE DOESN'T SEEM TO UNDERSTAND DIPLOMATIC LANGUAGE. THEN THE PRESIDENT HIMSELF WEIGHED IN, TWEETING 'OUR NUCLEAR ARSENAL IS NOW... BUT HIS INITIAL WORDS HAVE SPARKED INTERNATIONAL REACTION FROM NEW ZEALAND,... I THINK THE COMMENTS ARE NOT HELPFUL IN AN ENVIRONMENT THAT'S VERY TENSE. ...TO GERMANY'S FOREIGN OFFICE, SAYING 'SABRE RATTLING WON'T HELP.' AND THE NEW ZEALAND DEFENCE FORCE HAS CONFIRMED A DETACHMENT OF 32 PERSONNEL FROM THE ROYAL NEW ZEALAND AIR FORCE IS IN GUAM, PARTICIPATING IN A TRAINING EXERCISE. THE EXERCISE ENDS ON AUGUST 12TH, AND THERE IS NO PLAN TO WITHDRAW THE CONTINGENT EARLY. A MAN'S BEEN ARRESTED IN PARIS FOLLOWING A HIT AND RUN INCIDENT THAT'S INJURED SIX SOLDIERS. POLICE SHOT AND WOUNDED THE SUSPECT AFTER A DRAMATIC CHASE ALONG A MOTORWAY. THREE SOLDIERS WERE SERIOUSLY WOUNDED WHEN THE MAN ALLEGEDLY RAMMED HIS CAR INTO THE GROUP NEAR THEIR BASE. THE MOTIVE FOR THE ATTACK IS NOT YET KNOWN BUT PROSECUTORS SAY THEY ARE LOOKING AT POSSIBLE LINKS TO TERROR. THE FIVE MEN CHARGED OVER THE HILLSBOROUGH STADIUM DISASTER ALMOST 30 YEARS AGO HAVE APPEARED IN COURT IN THE UK. 96 PEOPLE WERE CRUSHED TO DEATH AT THE ENGLISH FOOTBALL GROUND IN 1989. THE MEN WERE CHARGED IN JUNE AFTER A NEW INQUEST WAS OPENED LAST YEAR, WHICH FOUND THE VICTIMS WERE UNLAWFULLY KILLED IN THE DISASTER. 18 PEOPLE PART OF 'GROOMING GANGS' IN THE UK HAVE BEEN CONVICTED OF CHILD SEX AND DRUG OFFENCES. THE 17 MEN AND ONE WOMAN WERE FOUND GUILTY OF PLYING YOUNG WOMEN AND GIRLS WITH ALCOHOL AND DRUGS BEFORE FORCING THEM TO HAVE SEX ` SOME AS YOUNG AS 14. THE BBC'S FIONA TROTT HAS MORE. GUILTY OF CAUSING GIRLS AND WOMEN SERIOUS HARM. CAUGHT AS PART OF OPERATION SANCTUARY, ONE OF THE BIGGEST SEXUAL EXPLOITATION INVESTIGATIONS IN THE NORTH OF ENGLAND. ALMOST 100 PERPETRATORS HAVE ALREADY BEEN CONVICTED. ONE 17-YEAR-OLD WAS RAPED AT A PARTY SESSION ORGANISED BY LOCAL MEN. IT'S A FAMILIAR STORY. I WOKE UP IN THE MORNING. THE WARDROBE WAS PUSHED UP AGAINST THE DOOR. HER POLICE INTERVIEW WAS PLAYED TO THE COURT. TO PROTECT HER IDENTITY, WE'VE ASKED ACTORS TO READ WHAT WAS SAID. HE'D HAD SEX WITH US WHILE I WAS ASLEEP. STILL NOW I'M A BIT CONFUSED ABOUT IT. HOW'D YOU FEEL WHEN HE TOLD YOU HE'D DONE THAT TO YOU? DIRTY. CONFUSED. HOW MANY SESSIONS WOULD YOU SAY YOU'VE BEEN TO? ABOUT 60. IT'S IN HOUSES LIKE THESE WHERE THE SESSIONS TOOK PLACE. POLICE! SIM CARDS, DRUGS, COMPUTERS, CASH. VICTIMS WERE GIVEN DRINK AND DRUGS AND COULD NOT DEFEND THEMSELVES AGAINST SEXUAL ABUSE. BUT IN 2013, TWO OF THEM CAME FORWARD. ONE HAD BEEN TRAFFICKED FROM A CHILDREN'S HOME, THE OTHER HAD LEARNING DIFFICULTIES. IT STARTED A LONG AND COMPLEX INVESTIGATION. MOST OF THE PERPETRATORS WERE FROM PAKISTANI, INDIAN OR BANGLADESHI BACKGROUNDS. WHAT HAPPENED ON THESE STREETS IS NOW THE SUBJECT OF A SERIOUS CASE REVIEW, BUT THE COUNCIL'S CHIEF EXECUTIVE SAYS IT'S NOT THE ONLY AUTHORITY WITH PROBLEMS OF THIS KIND. WE DO NOT BELIEVE THAT WHAT WE HAVE UNCOVERED IN NEWCASTLE IS UNIQUE. FOR THE VICTIMS THEY HARMED, IT'S BEEN A LONG AND TRAUMATIC JOURNEY. BUT THE EVIDENCE THEY GAVE HAS HELPED JAIL FOUR OF THESE PERPETRATORS. THE REST ARE DUE TO BE SENTENCED NEXT MONTH. IN A BRAVE BID TO BRING MALE SEXUAL ABUSE OUT OF THE SHADOWS, 22 NEW ZEALAND SURVIVORS ARE BEING PHOTOGRAPHED AND INTERVIEWED AS PART OF AN INTERNATIONAL ART PROJECT. THE BRISTLECONE PROJECT HAS PROFILED SURVIVORS IN 11 COUNTRIES SO FAR, ENCOURAGING OTHERS WHO'VE BEEN ABUSED TO COME FORWARD. LISA DAVIES HAS THE STORY. BARING HIS SOUL TO THE CAMERA, JIM GOODWIN IS A FATHER, A PSYCHIATRIC NURSE AND A SURVIVOR. LOOK RIGHT AT THE LENS AND JUST COMMUNICATE. AND NOW HE'S GOING PUBLIC ABOUT THE BRUTALITY HE SUFFERED AT BOARDING SCHOOL, WHERE HE WAS SEXUALLY ABUSED BY OTHER STUDENTS. I WAS THE FIRST PERSON I'VE EVER HEARD OF BEING RAPED. YOU KNOW, YOU KNEW THAT WOMEN WERE, BUT I'D NEVER HEARD OF IT HAPPENING TO ANOTHER GUY. He is telling all of thisto this man, a fellow survivor and founder of the project. They want to help other victims come out of the shadows. These men are standing for a great number of men who are still silenced by what happened to them. More than 100 survivors have been profiled around the world so far. What we're doing here as no more same. Tom Scott was sexually abused by his mother as a teenager. The only told people of his ordeal five years ago. Now the whole world will know. If only one person gets the message and comes forward, it is worth it. 11 survivors have shared their stories in Christchurch. Young people can see that they have had the courage to come forward. From Christchurch he will photograph 15 more survivors for the exhibition being shown at Canterbury Museum. The project has brought these men closer. Start telling your story, keep on telling it. That is how we heal. Helped with their own healing too. STILL TO COME ON MIDDAY ` THE BIG CAT CAUSING BIG SCARES. THE UNEXPECTED ENCOUNTER FOR TWO TREKKERS IN THE STATES. AND THE LONELINESS OF A 200M RUNNER. FIND OUT WHY THIS SPRINTER HAS THE TRACK TO HIMSELF. (GENTLE PIANO MUSIC) We just adapt to our environment. That's probably what's happened for me, and, like, I've made excuses for other people's behaviour rather than thought it was me. When you've got a hearing impairment, you're not aware of the effect it has on your family. And so, I guess, in a sense, it's taken the pressure off them. And I can hear, so that's exciting ` really exciting. (LAUGHS) To book a free hearing check, visit... A TECHNOLOGY PROGRAMME WHICH HELPED MORE THAN 10,000 MAORI AND PACIFIC ISLANDS STUDENTS HAS HAD TO SHUT ITS DOORS AFTER GOVERNMENT FUNDING WAS CUT. OTARA'S STUDIO 274 IS NOW FOR SALE. PACIFIC CORRESPONDENT BARBARA DREAVER REPORTS. STUDIO 274 PROVIDED I.T. OPPORTUNITIES FOR A COMMUNITY THAT NEEDED IT MOST. BUT NOW THE STUDIO'S CLOSED UP AND THE BUILDING'S FOR SALE. IT CAME FROM THE HOPES AND DREAMS OF OUR PEOPLE. I MEAN, IT'S JUST BRICKS AND MORTAR, BUT IT'S THOSE HOPES AND DREAMS. THE GOVERNMENT INVESTED $5M INTO THE PROGRAMME OVER EIGHT YEARS, BUT LAST YEAR, FUNDING ENDED. IN A STATEMENT, THE MINISTRY OF EDUCATION SAYS ITS ASSESSMENT SHOWED IT WASN'T CLEAR HOW THE PROGRAMME RELATED TO GOVERNMENT'S OBJECTIVES, AND IT DIDN'T DEMONSTRATE THE DELIVERY OF LONG-TERM BENEFITS TO STUDENTS. BUT HIGH TECH YOUTH SAYS FIVE INDEPENDENT EVALUATIONS OVER THE YEARS SHOW OTHERWISE, AND ITS PROGRAMME ALSO HAS INDUSTRY SUPPORT. THE WHOLE PROGRAMME OF HIGH TECH YOUTH AND STUDIO 274, I THINK IS REALLY BENEFICIAL TO HAVE THAT INDUSTRY BACKING FROM A NUMBER OF LARGE ORGANISATIONS. IT SEEMS LIKE THERE'S A MISSED OPPORTUNITY HERE. STUDENTS GOT A LOT OUT OF THE PROGRAMME. SOME PEOPLE, THEY DON'T REALISE THEIR TALENT TILL THEY COME HERE. I MEAN, THEY'VE GOT SKILLS, RIGHT? THEY JUST NEED TO DEVELOP THEM AND DEVELOP THEM HERE. HIGH TECH YOUTH OFFERED STUDIO 274 AS A GIFT TO KIA AROHA COLLEGE WHERE IT'S CURRENTLY BASED. HOWEVER, THE MINISTRY OF EDUCATION TURNED IT DOWN, CITING ONGOING AND UNNECESSARY COSTS. I REALLY DON'T UNDERSTAND THE REASONS WHY, BUT THE MINISTRY OF EDUCATION MAKES ITS DECISIONS BASED ON ITS OWN CRITERIA, I GUESS. WHILE THE MINISTRY OF EDUCATION HAD ISSUES WITH THE HIGH TECH YOUTH PROGRAMME, FOREIGN AFFAIRS IS FUNDING IT ACROSS THE PACIFIC. CLOSER TO HOME, THE CHARITY SAYS IT WILL CONTINUE TO WORK TO ENCOURAGE STUDENTS INTO I.T. BARBARA DREAVER, 1 NEWS. TO SPORTS NOW, AND THE BLACK FERNS HAVE STARTED THEIR WORLD CUP CAMPAIGN ON A WINNING NOTE, THRASHING WALES IN THEIR OPENING MATCH OF THE COMPETITION. THE FERNS TAKING JUST SEVEN MINUTES TO GET ON THE BOARD THROUGH SELICA WINIATA, AND SHE WASN'T FINISHED THERE. GOING IN ANOTHER TWO TIMES TO BAG HERSELF A HAT-TRICK ON THE KIWIS WAY TO AN IMPRESSIVE EIGHT-TRY, 44-12 WIN. HERE COMES THE FIRST HAT-TRICK OF THE WOMEN'S RUGBY WORLD CUP 2017. SELICA WINIATA. OUR BACKS RAN REALLY WELL, COS THEY'VE GOT A LOT OF SPEED OUT WIDE SO WE TRY TO USE THEM, SO I'M REALLY HAPPY WITH THAT. THE BLACK FERNS NOW FACE HONG KONG LATE SUNDAY NIGHT NEW ZEALAND TIME. MEANWHILE, HOSTS IRELAND HAVE JUST PIPPED AUSTRALIA, TAKING OUT THEIR FIRST ROUND MATCH 19-17. THE ENGLISH PREMIER LEAGUE'S 25TH SEASON GETS UNDERWAY THIS WEEKEND, AND WITH THE NEW SEASON COMES NEW PLAYERS. IT'S EXPECTED SPENDING ON NEW SIGNINGS BY BRITISH CLUBS WILL EXCEED $1.7B FOR THE FIRST TIME EVER. HERE'S THE BBC'S SPORTS EDITOR DAN ROAN. PRETTY GOOD. NOT BAD. IT'S BACK, WITH THE HELP OF SOME FAMOUS FOOTBALLING FACES, THE PREMIER LEAGUE LAUNCHED THE COUNTDOWN TO THE START OF ITS NEW SEASON TODAY AMID THE USUAL HYPE, ALL THE TALK ON THE LENGTHS CLUBS ARE GOING TO IN THE PURSUIT OF GLORY. SO MUCH MONEY IS BEING SPENT. CHAMPIONS CHELSEA HAVE INVESTED �125M ON PLAYERS THIS SUMMER. EVEN THEIR MANAGER IS SURPRISED BY THE AMOUNTS BEING SPENT. THE MONEY IS INCREDIBLE, BUT IT'S VERY IMPORTANT TO TRY AND IMPROVE OUR SQUAD AND OUR QUALITY, BECAUSE WE'LL HAVE ONE MORE COMPETITION AND WE NEED TO IMPROVE. THE CLUB KNOWS VERY WELL, WHICH IS MY OPINION, MY IDEAS ABOUT THIS ISSUE. THESE ARE JUST SOME OF THE BIG-MONEY SIGNINGS PREMIER LEAGUE CLUBS HAVE SPLASHED OUT ON THIS SUMMER, WITH A TOTAL OF MORE THAN �1B SET TO BE SPENT. FOR THE FIRST TIME, THE PREMIER LEAGUE SEASON WILL KICK OFF ON A FRIDAY NIGHT HERE AT THE EMIRATES, WHEN ARSENAL TAKE ON LEICESTER CITY. BUT WITH THE TRANSFER WINDOW OPEN UNTIL THE END OF THE MONTH, THE SPENDING SPREE IS SET TO CONTINUE IN A WAY NEVER SEEN BEFORE. WITH NEWLY PROMOTED CLUBS ALONGSIDE SOME FAMILIAR FACES, THE PREMIER LEAGUE'S ALL SET FOR ITS LATEST CHAPTER. THE CHALLENGE IS TO MAINTAIN THE DRAMA AND THE INTEREST THAT'S MADE ITS FIRST QUARTER OF A CENTURY SO LUCRATIVE. BLAIR TUKE'S VOLVO OCEAN RACE TEAM MAPFRE'S FALLEN JUST SHORT IN THE FASTNET RACE TO TEAM DONGFENG. AFTER MORE THAN TWO AND A HALF DAYS AND NEARLY 1000KM, MAPFRE COULDN'T QUITE TAKE DOWN THE CHINESE TEAM, MISSING OUT BY JUST 56 SECONDS. A LITTLE BIT DISAPPOINTING NOT TO WIN, BUT STILL LOTS OF POSITIVES FOR US AS A TEAM, AND PRETTY ENJOYABLE, BUT A LOT OF HARD WORK. TUKE'S SPANISH TEAM STILL LEADING LEG 'ZERO' BY TWO POINTS WITH TWO STAGES REMAINING. THE ATHLETICS GOVERNING BODY'S BEEN STRONGLY CRITICISED BY ITS HANDLING OF BOTSWANA RUNNER ISAAC MAKWALA'S APPEARANCE AT THE WORLD CHAMPIONSHIPS IN LONDON. HE'S NOW IN THE 400M FINAL AFTER EARLIER RUNNING A SOLO TIME TRIAL BECAUSE HE WAS IN QUARANTINE BECAUSE OF A NOROVIRUS OUTBREAK. THE BBC'S ANDY SWISS EXPLAINS. YESTERDAY HIS DREAM SEEMED OVER; TONIGHT HE'S THROUGH TO THE FINAL. FOR ISAAC MAKWALA, A REMARKABLE DAY IN HIS INCREASINGLY REMARKABLE STORY. HE BEGAN IT QUARANTINED IN HIS HOTEL AND BARRED FROM COMPETING, DESPITE HIS PROTESTS. HE SAID THE ATHLETICS AUTHORITIES HAD SABOTAGED HIS HOPES. I LOST EVERYTHING. THE WAY THEY DID IT, I DON'T KNOW, I THINK THERE'S SOMETHING THEY DON'T WANT TO TELL US. THERE'S SOMETHING FISHY THEY DON'T WANT TO TELL US. THE IAAF INSISTED SUCH CLAIMS WERE ABSURD AND, COME THE AFTERNOON, A DRAMATIC TWIST ` MAKWALA HEADING TO THE STADIUM AFTER BEING TOLD HIS QUARANTINE HAD FINISHED AND HE COULD RACE HIS 200M HEAT, SOME 48 HOURS AFTER HIS RIVALS. AND SO, IN APPALLING CONDITIONS FOR SPRINTING, THE SURREAL SIGHT OF A ONE-MAN RACE, MAKWALA AGAINST THE CLOCK. HE NEEDED 20.53 TO MAKE IT TO THE SEMIS, AND WITH THE CROWD WILLING HIM ON, IT WAS NEVER IN DOUBT. I THINK THAT IS A MESSAGE TO THE IAAF TO SAY 'I'M FIT AND HEALTHY.' EVEN HIS RIVAL WAYDE VAN NIEKERK COULD ONLY WATCH AND APPLAUD. BARELY TWO HOURS LATER, HE WAS BACK,... (CROWD ROARS) ...THE NEW FANS' FAVOURITE. BUT IF MAKWALA WAS TIRED, HE DIDN'T SHOW IT AS, FROM THE INSIDE LANE, HE SUMMONED HIS STRENGTH AND CHARGED INTO THE FINAL. WHAT A PERFORMANCE FROM ISAAC MAKWALA. I WISH TO THANK THE IAAF TO GIVE ME ANOTHER CHANCE. AND THE CROWD IS SO AMAZING. YOU KNOW, THEY LED ME TO BELIEVE. AND SO A MAN WHO COULDN'T EVEN VISIT THE STADIUM THIS MORNING COULD TOMORROW BE ITS CHAMPION. STILL TO COME ON MIDDAY, IF YOU SEE SUNSHINE, ENJOY IT WHILE YOU CAN. YOUR AFTERNOON WEATHER DETAILS NEXT. NOW TO THE WEATHER. FOR WEATHER, SEE TVNZ.CO.NZ FINALLY ON MIDDAY, DO YOU KNOW WHAT TO DO WHEN FACE TO FACE WITH A LION? TWO TRAMPERS IN CALIFORNIA CAN TELL YOU AFTER THEIR CLOSE ENCOUNTER WITH A BIG CAT. THE ABC'S DAVID WRIGHT HAS THE STORY. LOOK CLOSELY NOW. THAT IS A MOUNTAIN LION. SAM VONDERHEIDE AND HIS FRIEND BRIAN MCKINNEY SPOTTED IT LAST MONTH ON THE HIGH SIERRA TRAIL IN SEQUOIA NATIONAL PARK. THEY CREEP UP, EVER SO SLOWLY, AND PEER AROUND THE CORNER TO FIND... NOTHING. NO LION. UH, BUT LOOK UP. RIGHT OVER THERE. THERE'S OUR PUMA. PARK RANGERS SAY RUNNING AWAY COULD TRIGGER THEIR INSTINCT TO CHASE. 'NICE KITTY CAT.' EVER SO SLOWLY, THEY BACK AWAY. THEY DECIDED TO PITCH THEIR TENTS ON ANOTHER PART OF THE TRAIL THIS NIGHT, AND HAD A VERY RESTLESS NIGHT'S SLEEP. THANKS FOR WATCHING. FROM THE TEAM BEHIND MIDDAY NEWS, GOOD AFTERNOON. CAPTIONS BY TRACEY DAWSON AND JULIE TAYLOR. CAPTIONS WERE MADE WITH THE SUPPORT OF NZ ON AIR. COPYRIGHT ABLE 2017