Sportsman’s Notebook HALBERG TO COMPETE AT “OLYMPIC DAY”

Press, Volume XCIX, Issue 29108, 21 January 1960, Page 8

Sportsman’s Notebook HALBERG TO COMPETE AT “OLYMPIC DAY”

M. Halberg, the. Auckland distance runner, will appear at the Combined Amateur Sports’ Federation’s “Olympic Day” demonstration of sports at English Park on February 7. Halberg will take part in the mile against Canterbury athletes and P. Sidon and A. Potts, of Dunedin. Many other prominent athletes will take part in the demonstration, including the New Zealand women’s shot put champion. Miss V. Sloper, the former world 440 yards holder. Miss M. Chamberlain, the provincial half-mile champion, G. Hack, and L. Jones, the Canterbury sprint champion. Although the mile will be held as a demonstration event and not as a competitive race, the meeting of Halberg, Potts, Sidon and J. D. MacDonald, of Canterbury, should be of considerable interest. Halberg is almost certain to win, but the form of Sidon and Potts will be worth watching. Halberg, Potts and Sidon will also appear at the Canterbury Athletic centre’s inter-club meeting at Rugby Park on Saturday, February 6. They will have a number of events to choose from, but it seems likely that they will take part in the 1500 metres event. The meeting will be over metric distances and Canterbury athletes who have a chance of selection for the Olympic Games at Rome this year will have an opportunity to qualify.

Race Scratchings The Lady Wigram International Trophy Race to be held on Saturday is plagued by scratchings. So far three important entrants have withdrawn—the Australian, Ted Gray, in his Tornado; Denis Hulme, in his Cooper Climax; and R. H. Smith, in his Super Squalo Ferrari. The only newcomer to the race so far is the Feilding driver, S. H. Jensen, in a Cooper Climax. The most important entrant for Wigram, Jack Brabham, the world champion, will have a

race against time to have his car ready for the race. Late yesterday it was still on the Waikari in Lyttelton. Brabham is expected to arrive in Christchurch from Australia this afternoon. ¥ * * Handsome Profit Australia’s languishing cricket finances are expected to be improved by the team’s tour of Pakistan and India. The Australian Board of Control will receive a fixed amount of £7500 for each of the eight tests (three in Pakistan and five in India) played on the tour —a total of £60.600. The estimated expenditure of the board this season will be £25.000. This will mean that the profit of £35.000 will be distributed among the State associations. « * Good Swimmer Kevin Berry, aged 14, of Sydney, established himself as an Olympic Games prospect recently when he recorded 2min 27.8 sec for the 220 yards butterfly swim. Berry has been concentrating on the butterfly this season and has shown great improvement. He is stepping up his training programme and officials expect him to become a major force in butterfly swimming later in the season. ¥ ¥ ¥ Athletic Coaching The national athletic coaches’ association decided at its annual meeting recently that a coach should be sent with future Olympic and Empire Games teams. Athletes faced problems in their final preparations and these could only be dealt with by a qualified coach, the meeting decided. This was especially true in the throwing and jumping events which required special techniques.