ATHLETICS Record-Breaking Spree In Championships

Press, Volume CIII, Issue 30367, 17 February 1964, Page 7

ATHLETICS Record-Breaking Spree In Championships

There was a spate of record-breaking on the second day of the Canterbury athletic championships at Rugby Park on Saturday. Altogether 14 records were broken of equalled, but wind assistance ruled out five in the short sprints and .hurdles.

The highlights of the meeting, which attracted a crowd of 1500, were the open and junior 100 yards and the open and under 17 boys’ mile events. University’s D. W. Mackenzie, whose form in the last few months has been most impressive, ran 9.Bsec in his heat of the 100 yards in the morning to equal the record and in the final in the afternoon he held off a great challenge from his club mate, A. G. Steel, to win in 9.ssec. It was a thrilling race, made all the more memorable by the improved form of Steel, who recorded 9.7 sec. Unfortunately the wind, which fell below the permissible two metres a second for many of the races, whipped to nearly 17 feet over the last 50 yards and the time could not be allowed. Cashmere’s A. Thompson ran his final of the junior 100 yards in an excellent 9.9 sec, .lsec better than the record, but the wind again was too strong for a record. Close Mile Race The open mile did not produce the fireworks e:-pected, but the race still produced a good time and a close contest. The winner, A. G. Pyne (Olympic), was upset by a stomach ailment and found himself struggling in the first lap which D. Clements, of University, had mainly to himself. Pyne intended to be at Clements’ heels at the quarter mile mark, but he was well back and he was forced to stretch out considerably to take the lead for the second lap. Pyne took half the race to warm up and when he fol-

lowed Technical’s B. Smith around the three-quarter mark he looked in better fettle. Smith made a race of it over the last 300 yards and Clements put in his bid, too, but Pyne’s finishing burst which had surprised both D. Karl and W. Baillie in recent weeks, gave him a win, going away, in 4min 9.9 sec, three seconds outside his own record.

Tayler Impressive If Pyne was formidable in the open event A Tayler, of South Canterbury, was just as impressive in the under 17 mile. Tayler, not yet 16, strode strongly through the four laps, opening an ever increasing gap from a field which was well spread. Tayler ran consistently at 66 seconds a lap and he broke the tape in 4min 24.45ec, I.Bsec faster than his own record. M. Walls (Toe H), swept over the open 220 yards hurdles in 24.65ec to break his own and P. Cates’ record by ,4sec. Walls, who also won the long jump, showed his best form ever over the obstacles and at this stage he seems a likely prospect for a national title. Equalled Own Time A. Tweedie (High School Old Boys) equalled his own record of 10.4 sec in the boys’ under 17 100 yards. In the same grade P. Walsh (Marist) threw the shot for a record of 44ft 91in and J. Dzenis (Technical) set new figures in the javelin when he threw 149 ft 6in. Mrs L. Wilson flew over the open 80 metres hurdles in 11.5 sec, 1 sec better than her own record, but the wind gave her too much assistance. In recompense it dropped in the 75 yards race and Mrs Wilson’s winning time of B.ssec • was .lsec inside the record held jointly by Miss

M. A. M. Chamberlain and Miss K. Cfoawell. Miss Chamberlain, who has largely recovered from a tendon injury, made no race of the open half-mile. She led - from the start as usual and finished quite strongly and well in 2min lO.Osec, her best time of the season. Lost Her Battons The race was a chapter of accidents for New Brighton's J. Horton. Early on, a couple of buttons on her shorts popped off and Miss Horton trailed the field, one hand clutching the garment, the other, doing its atheltic work. The effort must have been too much, however.' When Miss Horton crossed the post, last, she tripped and fell, but she was still held firmly together. J. Rose, of Geraldine, won a close decision in the girls’ under 17 75 yards in B.6sec, equalling the record, but again the wind precluded any record. She made amends in the 220 yards, however, with a time of 25.95ec, ,9sec inside the record.

Another record was established in this grade when G, Gould, of Toe H. threw the discus 100 ft lljin, bettering the old distance of 95ft 9}in held by S. Flynn. Miss Flynn could only reach second place, although her effort was only s}in behind that of Miss Gould’s. R. Tait (Army), who holds the Canterbury open shot record, did not compete in this event. He acted as an official and measured R. G. Ball’s winning distance of 46in 4in, which gave Ball his tenth successive shot title, a most creditable record. Ball won the javelin as well with a good distance of 216 ft B}in. Waimate’s consistent M. Stewart was second with 212 ft IJin.