ATHLETICS Miss M. Chamberlain Beats 5 Minute Mile Barrier

Press, Volume CI, Issue 29715, 8 January 1962, Page 9

ATHLETICS Miss M. Chamberlain Beats 5 Minute Mile Barrier

An. unofficial New Zealand mile record for women was set by Miss M. Chamberlain at the inter-club . athletic events at Rugby Park on Saturday. Running the distance in 4mm 58.8 sec, Miss Chamberlain became the first woman to complete the distance in this country in less than five minutes in official competition. ,

Records for the distance are not yet recognised for women but it is only about four years ago that D. Leather, of England, became the first woman to beat the fiveminute mark and officials at the park on Saturday thought Miss Chamberlain was not far outside the unofficial world record.

But for misjudging her pace on the first lap, Miss Chamberlain may have had an even faster time. After running the first lap in 66 seconds, three seconds faster than the schedule planned by her coach, Mr V. Briedis. Miss Chamberlain attempted

to rectify the situation by slowing but in doing so went to the other extreme and finished the half-mile in 2min 24sec, four seconds behind. Miss Chamberlain made up a second to be only three seconds behind the schedule of 3min 40eec at the threequarter mile. Once again Miss Chamberlain had to run virtually solo because the second competitor, Miss D. Lagrosee, finished well back in smin 40*ec, still a good time, however, particularly as Miss Legrosse resumed training only shortly before Christmas. Junior Three Mlle* Distance events provided several highlights. The junior three-mile produced an intense struggle which resulted in K. Connell returning 14min 40.4 sec, probably the best time in official junior competition 1- New Zealand. The three miles is coming into prominence again tor juniors, the distance having replaced the two miles as a national championship event. Although the Wellington runner, B. Everitt, was credited with 14min 29*ec in the mid-1950’5, hie performance was registered in a senior race. Early leaders in the race were Connell, R. Reekie, and A. Bayard. Reekie went for a break after two miles but Connell matched him and took the lead in the last lap when Reekie challenged again. Connell held on by the narrowest of margins. A former New Zealand senior three-mile and harrier champion, K. E. 'Williams, now of Nelson, showed he is returning to his best form by winning the six miles in 29min 33.8 sec. Williams beat the Canterbury record of 29min 38.8 sec, made by J. K. Macdonald last year, but he will not be able to claim the record as he is not resident in the province. The leader for most of the race, R. J. Stevens, who recently broke the New Zealand 15-mile record, ran his best time for the distance. 29min 37.25e5, just missing the record. The senior mile was also the best race over the distance this season, with the former Canterbury runner. D. Beauchamp, now of Wellington. winning in 4min 17.8 sec after outsprinting J. D. Macdonald in the final 220 yards. Close 880 Yard* The Junior half mile is now becoming regarded as a feature race, and again this event provided some firstclass, competition with B. Milne holding on to win narrowly from the national twomile record holder, G. Pyne, and P. Hewlett. Hewlett challenged the leader, Milne, at the end of the first lap and these two swept round the next 300 yards almost together. Pyne raced up in the closing stages to get through for a good second about two yards behind Milne, Who was timed at Imin 59.1 sec. The senior and under-age men’s shot put events were won by the Freeman brothers. Although still a junior, C. Freeman took the senior event with 37ft 4jin. His younger brother. T. Freeman, won the junior 121 b shot with 41ft 2in. Although entitled to use a lighter shot for the under-17 event, T. Freeman elected to use the 121 b weight again and, putting it 41ft 3in. he won again. The brothers were also first and second in the junior javelin, T. Freeman winning. Having his first run in inter-club competition since recovering from an injury, the New Zealand 220-yards hurdle and 440-yards hurdle champion, P. Cates, ran the 220 yards hurdles in 28,«*ec and later took third place in the 440 yards. Results Abbreviations used in the following results are:—Marist (M.), High School (H.S.), Shirley (8.). Toe H (TH.), Technical (T.). New Brighton (N. 8. Cashmere High School (C.H.S.), Canterbury (C.A.A.C.). Rangiora (R.), Anglican (Ang). University (U.), Victoria University (V.), Ashburton (A). MEN Senior 120 Yards Hurdles.—J. Le Poldevin (T.) 1, R. Syme (V.) 2, J. Chadderton (T.) 3 Time, 103, 100 Yards.—D. Davison (U.) 1, P. Andrews (U.) 2, G. Lowery (T.) 3. Time. 10.4. One Mile,—D. Beauchamp (V) 1. J. D. MacDonald (U.) 2, 3. Powell (R.) 3. Time. 4:17.8. Long Jump.—M. Smith (N.B) 1, R. Svme (V.) 2. J. Newlove (TH.) 3. Distance. 18:10. Javelin.—T. Newlove (TR) 1,

M. Smith (N. 8. », R. Syme (V.) 3. Distance, 14S:0. Six Miles.—K. William* (Nelson) 1, R. Stevens (U) 2, B. Curie (S.) 3. Time, 29:33.8. 440 Yards.—A grade: P. Morrissey (HA) 1, V. Sykes (H.S.) 2. P. Cstes (Ash ) 3. Time, 52.2 B grade: P. Taylor (T.) 1, J. Waite (U.) 2, P. Andrews (U.) 2. Time. 52.8. 4 x 110 Yards Relay.—High School (A. Tucker, P. Morrissey, V. Sykes. W. Angus) 1, University 2. Time. 47.2. Shot.—C. Freeman (H.S.) 1, R. Syme (U.) 2. J. Chadderton (T.) 3. Distance, 37:44. Junior 75 Yards —D. Stevenson (C.) 1, P. Hewlett (U.) 2. C. Freeman (H.S.) 3. Time, 8.6. 220 Yards.—P. Taylor (T.) 1, D. Stevenson (C.) 2. P Alabaster (N. 8. 3. Time, 23.7. 880 Yards.—B. Milne (M.) 1. G. Pyne (T.) g, P. Hewlett (U) 3. 'rime, 1:59.1. Long Jump.—A. Tucker (H.S.) 1, C. Freeman (H.S.) 2, P Alabaster (N. 8. 3. Distance, 16:9 J. Three Miles—K. Connell (S.) 1, R. Reekie (T.) 2, A. Bayard (Ang ) 3. Time, 14:40.4. 220 Yards Hurdles.—P. Cates (A.) 1. D. Stevenson (C.) 2, W. Brooks (T.) 3. Time, 26.6. One Mlle Walk.—R. Chadderton (H.S) 1. Time, 8:11.6. Javelin.—T. Freeman (H.S.) 1, C. Freeman (HA.) 2. Distance. 116:111. Shot.—T. Freeman (H.S.) 1. C- Freeman (H.S.) 2, J. Gilberthorpe (W.) 3. Distance, 41:2. Under 17 75 Yards.—A. Tucker (H.S.) 1, W. Brooks (T.) 2, R. Calderwood (H.S.) 3. Time, 8.6. 220 Yards.—A. Tucker (H.S.) 1, W. Brooks (T.) 2. C. O'Donnel (M.) 3. Time, 25.2. 880 Yards.—N. Matson (H. 9. 1, R. Calderwood (H.S.) 2, W. Brooks (T.) 3. Time, 2:29.1. Shot Put.—T. Freeman (H.S.) 1, J. Gllberthorpe (W.) 2. Distance, 41:3. WOMEN Senior 100 Yards.—M. Chamberlain (T.) 1, A. McDowell ,(T.) 3, M. Duncan (T.) 3. Time, 11.9. One Mile.—M. Chamberlain (T.) 1, D. LaCrosse (T.) 2. Time, 4:56.8 Discus.—V. Young (T.) 1, L. Duncan (T.) 2, V. Blair (T.) 3. Distance. 155. Shot Put.—V. Young (T.) 1, L. Dunean (T.) 2, V. Blair (T.) 3. Distance. 32:01. Under 18 Discus.—Technical 1. Distance, Bo' Metres.—J. Hegan (R.) 1. H. McDowell (T.) 2. Time, 12.9. Shot Put —M. Duncan (T.) 1. Distance, 27:4j. Under 16 100 Yards.—T. Hegan (R.) 1, S. Stevenson (C.) 2. G. Lawrence (C.) 3. Time, 12.3. Discus.—S. Jones (T.) 1, B. Gilmore (T.) 2, L. Straw (T.) 3. Distance, 70:4. Shot Put.—S. Jones (T.) 1, L. Straw (T.) 2. H. Straw (T.) 3. Distance, 27:11. under 14 100 Yards.—V. Gilmour (T.) I. M. Gilmour (T.) 2. N. Anderson (T.) 3. Time. 12.7,