M. WALLS IS A FINE DECATHLON PROSPECT

Press, Volume CI, Issue 29801, 18 April 1962, Page 13

M. WALLS IS A FINE DECATHLON PROSPECT

SECOND in the 120 and 220 yard hurdles at the New Zealand junior atnlet.c championships this year, M. Walls looks a likely winner of national senior titles for Canterbury next season. Walls, who may switch his attention to the decathlon later, will not turn senior until August. 1963. Already he has shown excellent all-round ability, with fine performa ices in the high jump and long jump. He is holder of the inter-schools’ high jump record at six feet. A national record in the 120 yards hurdles could well be within his reach next season. This year when he set a new Canterbury record ci 14.4 sec. he was only o.2sec outside the New Zealand best.

Although the transition from junior to senior competition is often a formidable barrier in athletics, this seems unlikely to cause any problems for Walls, who has already acquitted himself well in senior events. In the Canterbury championships and in the recent match against the Combined Services, he was second in the high jump and first in the senior 120 yard hurdles, adapting himself well to the higher senior obstacles. He W’as also second in the provincial senior 220 yards hurdles. Previously, Walls had done

little specialised winter training for athletics, but this year he is planning a more intensified programme. Formerly a soccer full-back for the Linwood High School Ist XI, this 6ft lin, and more than 12 stone, athlete is considering making cross-country running his activity this winter.