National Champion and 100m hurdles record holder Andrea Miller overcame a back injury to win bronze at the World University Games event in Belgrade, Serbia.

Miller a physiotherapist graduate from the University of Otago took bronze in a time of 13.13seconds behind Nevin Yanit of Turkey and Sonata Tamosaityte of Lithunia.

Gold medallist Yanit won gold with an impressive time of 12.89seconds nearly half a second faster than her performance in the semi-finals at the Beijing Olympics in august last year. Tamosaityte of Lithuania dipped out Miller for the silver in a time of 13.10seconds.

Miller who had been suffering from a back problem leading into the final was close to withdrawing from the race in order to ensure her health and fitness ahead of next month's IAAF World Athletics Championships in Berlin.

Intensive physiotherapy and acupuncture sessions helped to restore her movement and ease the discomfort she was feeling.

New Zealand team Chef de Mission Dr Lynne Coleman said; "Andrea appeared to be in a lot of pain and had very restrictive movement through her back. We were not sure if she would be able to make it on to the track and she had to be very mindful of not aggravating it worse with the Champs in Berlin coming up. The medical team did a great job in giving her the care and treatment she needed and I'm sure Andrea is pretty pleased with the result...a bronze medal!"

Miller's time is her third fastest of all time her third fastest performance of all time and first medal at a major international track meet.

Her bronze completed a full set for the New Zealand team at the track after Team Captain Monique Williams won gold in the 200m and Stuart Farquhar won silver in the javelin. Brent Newdick won New Zealand's first medal of the Games in the decathlon on Thursday.