EMPIRE GAMES N.Z. TEAM IN GREAT FORM

Press, Volume CI, Issue 29983, 19 November 1962, Page 19

EMPIRE GAMES N.Z. TEAM IN GREAT FORM

Record-Breaking Double By Christchurch Girl (Special Crspdt. N.Z.P.A.) PERTH, November 18. Eight victories, three second placings and two thirds, an Empire record broken and another equalled—that was New Zealand’s impressive showing at the pre-Empire Games athletics meeting at Geraldton and Bunbury on Saturday. The golden athlete at both meetings was the Christchurch girl, Mrs V. Young, who highlighted the day with a brilliant double victory.

She set an Empire record of 176 ft sin in the discus and equalled her own Empire shot putt record of 54ft sJin. On current farm, Mrs Young looks certain to win the discus-shot putt double at the games and set new records in both. Only disappointment of the day was the slow time by the world record-holder. P. G. Snell, to the half-mile. Snell was hoping to achieve Imin 49sec —his fastest time this season—but to a jumbled race he clocked Unto 53.1 sec. Uneven Track The grass track was undulating and uneven, and only the New Zealander, J Davies, to the field was capable of extending Snell. Even so, the time was disappointing. Snell. Davies and the other New Zealand competitor. G F. Philpott, were lucky to avoid a alight scrimmage near the turn into the straight when a Kenyan runner, K. Peter, moved out from the toside position and almost brought down the British miler, A. Simpson Snell and Davies were slightly to front of the Kenyan, who stumbled and almost fell into them. Philpott, who had seen

Peter duck out twice from the toside when he looked like being boxed to, decided not to risk a spiking and stayed well clear at the back of the field.

Stung by Bee Snell ran under the handicap of having bee® stung by a bee a few hours before the race. While he was resting before the meeting, a bee crawled under an insect net and stung tile runner on the left arm. Anxious officials rushed him to a doctor but there was no cause for alarm. The swollen spot soon subsided Snell said the arm was not troubling him and he seemed much less concerned about it than the meeting officials. Davies, who is being tipped as a medal winner in the mile, ran Imin 53.8 sec for second place, with Simpson third to Imin 54.35ec. Two More Wins Besides Snell’s win and Mrs Young’s double. New Zealanders won the women's half-mile and the women’s 80 metres hurdles. The wind across the ground was at just the right angle for Mrs Young’s discus throwing. She caught the current expertly and after a first throw of 158 ft, reached 171 ft and finally a superb 176 ft sto. The previous Empire record was 171 ft 4lto by another New Zealander, Jen-

nifer Thompson, ait Christchurch in 1960. Miss M. A. M. Chamberlain may as well have been without an opponent in the women’s half-mile. She won by at least 200 yards to 2r'n 10.6 sec.

She ran the first lap in about 60sec and then, with no-one to stay with her, eased up through the second lap. Protest Upheld

The Auckland hurdler, Mrs A. Mclntosh, was New Zealand's other record-breaker of the meeting. After crashing heavily on the last hurdle at her first attempt over the distance, she asked the New Zealand manager, Mr J. C. Borland, to enter a protest that the hurdles were wrongly placed. Officials found on checking that the last line of hurdles was on the men’s mark and the race was re-run later. Mrs Mclntosh won the second race in llsec, bettering her New Zealand record and Miss S. Strickland's Western Australian record by one-tenth of a second.

The New Zealand sprinter, Miss D. Porter, ran the 100 yards in 10.8 sec, finishing second to J. Bennett (Australia). Miss Porter als took third placing in the women's 220 yards in 25.35ec. Another New Zealander. Miss N. M. Bond, was fourth in 26.35ec. No Wind Gauge

There was no wind gauge on the ground, but there was clearly wind assistance to the 100 yards event and the hurdles. The Rugby international, M. Cleary, of New South Wales, was credited with 9.3 sec in the 100 yards, equalling H. Hogan's Australian resident record. Cleary, who has played on the wing for Australia at both Rugby Union and Rugby League, also won the 220 yards in 21.1 sec. Another highlight of the day was the two-mile victory by the runner, M. B. S. Tulloh, in Bmin 50.8 sec.