Jamaica Prospects Show Form In Athletics Opening

Press, Volume CIV, Issue 30884, 18 October 1965, Page 16

Jamaica Prospects Show Form In Athletics Opening

The Tokyo Olympic 800 metres bronze medalist, Mrs M. A. Stephen (Technical), was in splendid form for the opening inter-club athletics meeting of the season at Rugby Park on Saturday. In spite of an extremely strong easterly wind, she was untroubled to win the 330 yards event in the good time of 41sec.

In the early stages of the race, the New Zealand 220 yd sprint champion, Miss L. Hurrell (Technical), made a strong challenge but coming off the curve into the wind she was unable to stay with Mrs Stephen, who won by several yards.

Mrs Stephen's very strong finish over this distance, less than half the length of her best event, was most impressive.

She is reasonably well assured of a place in the New Zealand games team but that is not her main concern. She wants to bring back a gold medal.

Earlier, Mrs Stephen finished third in the 100 yards in a time fractionally more than 12sec. Miss Hurrell, who won the event, is now working towards what could be her best season yet. Her time into the wind was 11.6 sec. The other Canterbury athlete who competed with distinction at the Tokyo Olympics, Mrs V. I. Young, was absent from the athletic arena. Instead, she was up in the timekeepers’ stand assisting her husband, Mr G. R. Young, a former high hurdles champion, with the time-keeping. Best Throw

Down below, a small cluster of field events enthusiasts watched her successor as New Zealand’s top woman shot putter, Miss D. Charteris (Technical), move another step towards a place in the Empire Games team with her best throw in competition of 48ft Ilin —Ilin better than the games qualifying standard.

Miss Charteris reached this mark on her second throw However, she could not gel with feet of this in any of her successive attempts and she was not in complete control of her movements inside the circle. Three of her six throws were disallowed when she overbalanced and stepped out of the circle. Her three successful throws were 44ft, 48ft Ilin and 46ft 6in. Two other young woman shot putters also showed outstanding form. Competing in the open event, 15-year-old Miss S. A. Flynn and 16-year-old Miss B. Poulsen (both Technical), took third and fourth places with best throws of 40ft 7jin and 40ft 7in, respectively.

But it was later when competing in the under-17 shot nut event that they produced their best. Miss Poulsen won the honour of breaking the first record of the season by Increasing her own under-17 distance to 41ft 4|ln. Miss Flynn was runner-up with another terrific throw of 41ft. The old record for the event stood at 38ft 3in. Set The Pace One of the most impressive performances of the day was that of J. Gordon (Marist)’ln the 660 yards event. He set a terrific pace down the back straight on the final lap and was able to hold on at the finish to win by more than a second over the New Zealand quartermile champion, D. W. Mackenzie, who was second.

In the shorter 330 yards event, however, there was no holding Mackenzie, who raced ahead of L. Jones (Toe H), his main rival, to win handsomely by more than 2sec in the excellent time of 35.55ec.

Mackenzie is at present considering making a trip to the United States immediately after ♦he national championships in March in a bid to tmnrove his performances. He hopes to persuade the Empire Games selection panel to send a sprinter to Jamaica.

Competing in his first year a« a senior. Riccarton’s H. Neeson turned on a magnificent performance in the blustery conditions to win the open two miles event in 9min 47.25ec. He showed considerable knowledge of race tactics by allowing A. Cook (Technical) to set the pace for most of the distance, only moving to the front in the final 220 yards. Neeson is regarded by many as one of the province’s best voting prospects in the steeplechase and m’ddle distance events. Neither he. nor his twin brother. A. A. Neeson, also a competitor of promise, will be available much longer. In six weeks they will return to England with their parents. They have been in New Zealand for three years and a half. Abbreviations used in the results are: Anglican (A.). Ashburton (Ash.), Cashmere (C.). Christ’s College (C.C.). High School Old Boys (H. 5.0.8. Riccarton (R.). Ranglora (Ran.). Olympic (O.), Shirley (8.), Technical (T.), Toe H (T.H.). University (U.), New Brighton (N. 8. Marist (M.), Westonian (W.). Christchurch (Ch.).

MEN Senior 75 Yards.—A grade: M. Paulsen IT.), 8.2, 1: L. Jones (T.H.). 8.5, 2; J. Needier (T.) 3. B grade: L. Currie (T.H.), 8.6. 1: C Broadhurst (T.H.), 8.7, 2; K Groskic (T H.) 3. 330 Yards.—A grade: D. W Mackenzie <U.), 35.5, 1: L. Jones (T.H.), 37.8 2: M. Paulsen (T.) 3. b ’grade: L. Currie (T.H.). 39.5, 1: A. Neeson (Ric). 40.7, 2: p. Stanlev (M.) 3. 660 Yards.—A grade: J. Gordon (M.), 1:25.3, 1: D. W. Mackenzie (U.), 1:26.0, 2: J. D. Macdonald (Ric.) 3. B grade: D Alexander (U.). 1:30 0,1; A Neeson (Ric.), 1:32.0, 2: B. O'Donnell <M.) 3.

Two Mlles.—A. Neeson (Ric.l 9:47.2, 1: A. Cook tT.), 9:50 s 2; P. Marks (U.) 3.

220 Yards Hurdles. —D. Stevenson (U.), 26.7, 1; M. Paulsen (T.), 28.4, 2. Discus.—W. Speirs (U.), 121:00. 1: D. C. Leary (Ric.), 2. J. Ridge (Palmerston North) 3. Hammer.—G. Grant (T.l. 142:02, 1. Open Javelin.—A. E. Graeburn (Ash.), 161:0. 1: I. Dalzell (Rice ), 150:3, 2: Nicollc. 146:6, 3. Junior 75 Yards.—A Thompson IT '. 8.7, 1: L. North (U.). 8.7, 2; W. Grey (C.C.) 3. 330 Yards.—G. McKechnie (St. A. 36.7, 1; D. Campbell (T.H). 38.2, 2: P. Hutchinson (O.) 3. 220 Yards Hurdles.—C. Hale (C.C.), 31.0, 1; R. Parkinson (C.C ) 33.4 2 660 Yards’.—B. McMaster (C.C ), 1:29.2, 1; K. Anderson (T.l, 1:30.6, 2; J. Williams (M.) 3. Three-quarter Mile.—T. McGillivray (T.H.), 3:17.1, 1; T. MeUralth (Rice.) 2. L. Cane (T.) 3. Relay, 4 x 110 Yards —Toe H (K Groskle, B. Jones. D. Campbell, R. Ward). 45.7, 1: Christ s College 2. High Jump.—P. Geoghegan 'M.I, 4:10, 1; Watson (C.C.). 4:10, 2, Discus. —I Dalzell (Ric.l. 140:011, 1: D. Sheard (C.C.) 2. M. Cosgrove (M.) 3. Under 1? 75 Yards.—B Grade—Section 1: B. Jones (T.H), 8.4, 1: D. Campbell (T H). 8.4, 2; N. Piper (C.C.) 3. Section II: P. Hall (C.C.), 8.6. 1; N. Armstrong (C.C.), 8.6, 2; P. Geoghegan (M.) 3. 330 Yards.—N. Piper (C.C.), 37.7, 1: A. Gilmour (T.), 37.8. 2: D. Watson (C.C.) 3. 220 Yards Hurdles.—M. Winter (C.C.), 34.8, 1: S. Oliver (0 ), 35.6, 2. Three-quarter Mlle.—K. O'Sul llvan (M.l, 3:23.2, 1: P. Alexander (C.C I 2. J. Shirtcliffc (N.B I 3, Relay, 4 x 110 Yards.—Christ's College. 49.6. 1. High Jump.—R. Wilson (W.l. 5:04, 1: A. Gilmour (T.l. 5:00. 2; W. Vssher (St. A ), 5:00. 3. Discus.—l. Dalzell (Ric.l. 127:08, 1: D. Sheard (C.C.) 2. J. Atkinson (M.) 3. Under IS 75 Yards.—Section I: D. Watson (C.C.), 8.7, 1: J. Denniston (C.S.) 2: P. Alexander (C.C.) 3. Section II: M. Anderson (C.C.I. 9.1, 1: S. Smith (C.C.), 9.1, 2: G. Klldav (T.H.) 3. Section III: H. Ruffell (St. A). 8.9. 1: B. Bishop (T.H), 9.2. 2; C. Gleason (T.H.) 3. 660 Yards.—M. Mosenbergen (M.l. 1:30.1, 1: R. Harding (T.l. 1:32.4, 2: K. Head (M.) 3. Relay, 4 x 110 Yards.—Christ's College (Matvasevic. Flint. MeKellow, Todd). 53.6. 1 Discus.—C. Gleason 104:10, 1; H Ruffell 2. G. May 3. WOMEN Senior 100 Yards.—A grade: L. Hurrell (T). 11.6. 1: B Poulsen (T.). 12.0. 2; M. A. M. Stephen (T.) 3. B grade: S. Flynn (T.l. 12.4, 1: A. Palliser (T ). 12.7, 2; C. Rolton (T.) 3. 330 Yards.—M. A. M. Stephen (T.), 410, 1; L. Hurrell (T). 41.4, 2. 80 Metre Hurdles.—B. Poulsen (T.l. 12.7, 1: J. Nixon (T.H I. 13.6. 2: J. Horton (N. 8. 3. Relay, 4 x 110 Yards.—Technical (Paulsen. Stephen, Hurrell, Palliser). 53.3, 1. Long Jump.—C. Rolton (T I. 17:10. 1: B. Poulsen (T ), 10:07, Shot.—D. Charteris (T.), 48:11, 1: S. Flynn (T.), 40:071, 2; B. Paulsen (T.), 40:07, 3. Javelin.—S. Flynn (T.), 128. 1. Under 17 100 Yards.—M. Langton (N. 8. 1; L. Wilson (St. M.l, 13.5. 2; J. Horton (N. 8. 3. 330 Yards.—J, Horton (N.B I. 47.8, 1; J. Nixon (T.H ), 47.8, 2; J. Latter (T.H.) 3. Relay, 4 x 110 Yards.—Toe H. 55.4, 1. Long Jump.—B. Paulsen (T ), 17:04, 1: J. Horton (N.B ), 15:8J. 2; J. Nixon (T.H.), 15:41, 3. Under IS Relay, 4 x 110 Yards.—Technical (Hoad, Demouth, Anderson, Johns), 55.8. 1; Toe H. 2. Long Jump.—L. Johns (T ), 15:81 1: L. Anderson (T.). 14:81. P. E. Craighead (Rga.), 14:01, 3.