Unlike her performance at the Olympics, where she dominated from the start, her approach in Berlin was more like that of a lioness calmly stalking its prey, as they nervously wait for her to pounce with the killer blow.
And killer blow (or should I say throw) she did produce in the fifth round, making her the first New Zealand athlete to retain a world athletics title.
Although recognised for her achievements at the Halberg Awards, Vili remains one of our unsung heroines in New Zealand.
The Performance Enhancing Grants (PEGs) administered by Sparc provide Vili with $60,000 for her training, travel and trouble, but other than that, she isn't swimming in sponsorship or endorsements.
We see All Blacks, Silver Ferns, has-beens and wannabes endorsing products and getting their pockets lined in the process. Why don't we see the likes of Vili on our screens encouraging us to use our credit cards, eat meat, buy certain cars, and wear undies that instantly make you sexy and airbrushed? I suppose that is part of her appeal.
She seems untainted by the overcommercialised aspect of modern sport that leaves a sour taste in our mouths.
Vili, for now, seems to be a genuine athlete focused on her craft, making personal sacrifices and, last but not least, performing when it most matters.
She does it with little fuss and is followed by her loyal and hardworking coach, Kirsten Hellier, who deserves just as much praise.
But it is naive to think that talent alone is going to be enough for Vili to make the most of her talent now and in the future.
Unfortunately, in a highly commercialised world, some athletes are more easily packaged than others.
Maybe Vili is just too much of a powerful and uncompromising female athlete to package into a pretty, non-threatening box.
And I would hate for her to have to compromise what she is and stands for to suit a sponsor's image.
Let her grimace, grunt and snarl in order to achieve the amazing results she does at events like the World Athletics Championships in Berlin, where there were many firsts, fists and finger-pointing antics to be seen.
Usain Bolt and Kenenisa Bekele demonstrated their freakish abilities by smashing world records and winning world titles at opposite ends of the distance spectrum.
Both also demonstrated showmanship and know that a glance sideways, finger wave in the air and flamboyant jump on to the podium will get them media attention and a reputation.
Bring on the London Olympics, I say.
The recent announcement women's boxing will be included in 2012 is also a significant milestone.
Some people suggest women are too fragile to box, but then you will always have those who fight for the exclusion of women from anything physical.
What will they say when they see female rugby sevens players at the Olympics smashing into each other, without head gear or padded gloves?
In fact, I'm so inspired by Vili's performance, I might just dust off the rugby boots again and see if I can make it to the Olympics in 2016 - as a team manager of course!
