Auckland Certain To Dominate N.Z. Athletic Championships

Press, Volume CI, Issue 29765, 7 March 1962, Page 11

Auckland Certain To Dominate N.Z. Athletic Championships

rpHE self-torment of training, which is the anvil on which the metal of an athlete is tempered and shaped, will reach its conclusion on Friday and Saturday when the cream of the Dominion's competitors, both men and women, meet at Auckland in a trial of strength and speed. The time of training and planning for this select band of athletes is now over; the discussions with coaches, the judicious balancing of pros and cons will have its reward for some in a coveted title, for others a place and for many only regret. But these athletes all have one thing in common they are prepared to accept the great risk of defeat for the solitary chance of victory.

The national championships will have a special meaning for those in the top bracket; the Empire Games will be held in Perth in November and their success or failure this week-end will be a contributing factor in their selection for the New Zealand team. The Canterbury team to contest the titles is reasonably strong, especially in the sprints and field events, but if the province is to win its share of events its athletes will have to tap that reservoir of energy which be. comes available, apparently, only at moments of great stress.

Unfortunately for Canterbury there are some very talented athletes in the country and to secure a title these fellows only have to call on their normal reserves. P. G. Snell. M. G. Halberg. B. A Magee and L. Mills, all of Auckland, are in this favoured category. Wellington believes that T. R. Heeps will have everything his way in the sprints; and indeed he might, for he has the performances to back his followers’ claims. But A. G. Steel and L- Jones, of Canterbury, and A. Wilson and C. Crocker, will probably have their say in the 100 yards at least.

Heeps, who may be better remembered by some as the Wellington Rugby wing who gave the Canterbury team some anxious moments in the final game last year at Wellington, has run 9.7 sec this season, which is good by any standards; C. J. Maguire, of Otago, has a time of 9.9 sec to his credit, but it was windassisted. He has not proved in his meetings with Steel that he has the ability to head off the Canterbury runners; twice Steel hag proved superior.

Both Steel and Jones, who is a much better runner this year than he has been for some seasons, have done evens and two weeks ago Jones would have broken lOsec but for his extraordinary decision to canter in the last section of the race.

But as interesting as the short race will be the 220 yards should be even better. Heeps will be in it, as will Steel, Jones, R. Naish (Wellington), B. C. Robinson and D. Norris, both of Auckland. Norris, a wonderfully versatile athlete, is the titleholder and has once beaten Steel over this distance this season, but it will be a great runner who cam head off

Robinson, who has been in grand form these last few months. Steel has a best time of 21.5 sec, but alas, he had some slight wind assistance while Robinson ran 21.7 sec in -less favourable conditions. Jones also has recorded 21.7 sec—at the Agfa meeting at Lancaster Park—and on his form he is capable of repeating the time.

Robinson will probably win the quarter-mile, and if he is beaten it will almost certainly be by a team-mate, possibly W. Weaver, who has a time of 47.8 sec, or J. W. Taylor, who has a time of 48.7 sec, but who can do better if he wants to. Picking winners is always fairly hazardous, but one could, with the greatest confidence, nominate the winners of the half-mile and three miles. Even those with only the slightest interest in athletics, must know that P. G, Snell will—barring some calamity—win the 880 yards and that M. G. Halberg will win the three miles. Snell will make sure of winning, but it is doubtful if he will break any records, unless G. Philpott urges him to greater efforts; and Philpott, at this stage, does not appear capable of doing this. Snell has made his one and only bid at the world halfmile record this season and

Auckland will have to wait for another day to see Snell at his limit to this event. That remarkable runner, W. D. Baillie, of Auckland, must be favoured for the mile after his excellent performance which gave him second place to Snell at Auckland recently, but he will know he has been running after matching wits and strides with J. L. Davies (Waikato) and D. Karl (Wellington). Davies, one of the Dominion’s promising youngsters, has a time only 02sec slower than Baillie’s, and Karl only o.6sec behind Davies; but Baillie, shrewd tactician that he is, can always be counted on to do the right thing at the right time.

Canterbury’s best hopes in the field events will be R. G. Ball in the shot, discus and javelin, and M. Stewart, in the javelin. Ball has the official best throw of 210 ft in the javelin, but he will have the formidable M. J. Hahn, of Auckland, to contend with. The Canterbury women present a much happier picture altogether. With Miss M. A. M. Chamberlain, fresh from her world records at Perth, a certainty for the quarter and half-miles and Mrs V. I. Young just as certain in the shot put and discus, the province has four gold medals to start with. And when one considers the recent performances of Misses L. Anderson and L. Curtis, who both cleared sft 7in in the high jump, then the possibility of a fifth is not out of place.

Where Canterbury’s women will gain also will be in the minor placings, where such consistent athletes as Misses D. Lagrosse (half-mile), J. Ryan (javelin), and L. Duncan (shot and discus) are certain to do well.