Athletes Abroad Still In Running

Press, Volume CIV, Issue 30919, 27 November 1965, Page 17

Athletes Abroad Still In Running

"The Press" Special Service

WELLINGTON.

Two New Zealand track runners will not have to conform to the qualifications for selection in the team to compete in the Empire Games in Kingston, Jamaica, next year.

They are R. U. Johnson and A. G. Pyne, both of whom are studying at American universities. The national track and field selectors (Mr J. Borland, Southland, and Mr C. Thompson. Waikato) have said that most of those to be considered by the Games selection panel will be nominated by March 31. Up to May 6 However, outstanding performances would be consid ered up to May 6, the tentative closing date for nominations for the Games. But Johnson and Pyne are in a position where they are unlikely to be able to return any outstanding perform ances by the required dates. The track season does not get under way till late April in America, so they will have practically no chance of recording world-class times. However, it is certain that this will not be detrimental to their chances of wearing New Zealand colours in Kingston. The chairman of the New Zealand Olympic and British Empire Games selection panel, Mr C. L. S. Cross, said that the panel would consider the runners’ past performances and also act on the recommendations of the athletic selectors. However, he agreed that performers with such records

as Johnson and Pyne could not be ignored even if they are living out of New Zealand. Johnson, New Zealand’s best-ever 440 yards hurdles exponent, has a personal best time of 50.9 sec recorded earlier this year. World-class Time That is a world-ranking performance. Pyne is New Zealand’s fifth-ranked three-miler, with a best time of 13min 21.6 sec, returned last year.