Athlete And Gardener

Press, Volume C, Issue 29509, 10 May 1961, Page 13

Athlete And Gardener

An athlete with contrasting and conflicting interests is Brian Buckley, who ran a fine first lap in the University Club Hagley steeplechase relay to place Technical in the lead. For the second year in succession Buckley covered the circuit of about two miles and a quarter around South Hagley Park in llmin 43sec., to record second fastest lap time. The merit of his performance, however, was not so much in the time but his ability to fight back after being displaced from the lead by the Canterbury harrier champion, Ron Stevens. Buckley led almost from the start to within half a mile of the finish, where Stevens took a 20-yard lead. After trailing for some distance Buckley made what was probably his most determined finishing run to outsprint Stevens over the last few hundred yards. Buckley began his athletic career six years ago with the Marist club as a sprinter and later turned to halfmiling, Now being coached

by Mr John Cameron, Buckley has turned his attention to the longer distances, with the intention of concentrating on the three miles. Last track season he showed some ability as a steeplechaser by finishing second in the 3000 metre Canterbury championship event. This year he has paid less attention to speed work than formerly and Buckley attributes part of his improvement to the longer, slower work he has been doing. A comparatively new interest for Buckley is one that he considers much more demanding than his athletics or his occupation as a carpenter. In the last year or so he has become a keen gardening enthusiast, and at the last Canterbury Agricultural and Pastoral Association’s show he took several prizes in the novice sections for flowers and vegetables. So keen was he on preparing his exhibits for the show that he sacrificed his athletic training at a vital stage of the season.