CHAMPION MIGHT FORSAKE RUNNING

Press, Volume CIV, Issue 30814, 28 July 1965, Page 15

CHAMPION MIGHT FORSAKE RUNNING

EIGHTEEN months of planning came to fruition when the Ashburton runner, A. Sim (above) won the Canterbury jfmior harrier championship on Saturday. His performance was a fine one. To outdistance the best of the province’s juniors by 180 yd shows that his ability is well above average. Athletically the future could be full of promise of much greater success for Sim, if he remains in the sport. Tis, however, is by no means certain. To achieve his championship goal, Sim forsook two

other sports, which appeal greatly to him and at which he showed more than average ability. As part of his build-up for the harrier title, Sim dropped cricket during the summer to participate in track athletics. In spite of his success across country, he still has a longihg to return to playing Rugby in the winter. Unless Sim can be prevailed upon to change his mind he will leave competitive athletics at the end of the harrier season to play senior cricket at Ashburton

in the summer and Rugby in the winter. He feels he has “had enough” of athletics competition in the meantime and is looking forward to a break. If Sim does switch from competitive athletics, he intends the break to be for two yea: ? only. In the meantime he hopes to keep his backg ound fitness by three days a week of stamina running. The danger of all this, however, is that without the stimulus of competition, Sim may find it hard to sustain his enthusiasm for athletics training.