N.Z. WRESTLER IN ACTION

Press, Volume XCIX, Issue 29292, 25 August 1960, Page 5

N.Z. WRESTLER IN ACTION

‘Contravention Of Instructions’ (Special Correspondent N.Z.P.A.) ROME, August 23. The New Zealand light heavyweight wrestler, F. A. Thomas, has been grappling on the training mat in Rome with the Japanese heavyweight and welter-weight, and also with the Iranian coach. This is in contravention of instructions he received from the New Zealand Amateur Wrestling Committee before he left for Rome. In telling Thomas not to do matwork with wrestlers from other countries, the committee was trying to save him from possible injury and from revealing his strengths and weaknesses to likely opponents, but Thomas is so in need of hard work, after recovering from heat exhaustion and stomach upsets on the flight from New Zealand, that the manager, Mr J. D. Prestney, decided he must wrestle, and enlisted the aid of the Japanese and Iranians. At the last Olympics in Melbourne, the Japanese, Iranians and Turks each won two of the eight freestyle wrestling weight divisions (Russia and Bulgaria won one each). Thomas is thus training in distinguished company. Thomas is not worried about “tipping his hand” to the Iranians, tor Iran’s light heavy-weight at Rome is the reigning world champion, Gholam-Reza Takhti, who was also a gold medallist at the Melbourne Olympics. Takhti Is regarded as a near-certainty for another gold medal at Rome. Workouts with the Japanese and the Iranian coach have benefited Thomas. though he and other wrestlers are suffering from matburns. The mats at Acqua Acetosa training gymnasium are like sandpaper