Tait, Mills Renew Rivalry In Discus And Shot

Press, Volume CV, Issue 31000, 4 March 1966, Page 15

Tait, Mills Renew Rivalry In Discus And Shot

[By Our Athletic* Reporter]

Field events do not often receive the attention they deserve but with athletes bidding for Empire Games selection there seems little chance of these being lightly passed over when the New Zealand championships begin at Rugby Park today. Several events promise to steal much of the limelight from the track races.

One of these is the long-awaited clash between the 19st L. R. Mills (Auckland) and his conqueror in t h e national discus championship last season, R. D. Tait (Otago). For Mills, Who had just returned from the Tokyo Olympic Games, defeat in one of his specialist events was indeed a bitter pill to swallow. He later won the shot put title with a good throw of 55ft 7 jin. The damage to his hard-won reputation, however, had been done. Tait’s winning performance of 176 ft 8 jin broke the existing record. However, his name was not to go down in

the record books for Mills had a better performance awaiting ratification. Now, 12 months later, the pair will meet again in the shot and discus but this time there is an even greater prize at stake than just a mere championship. Both will be relying on their performances to win them nomination for the Jamaican Empire Games later this year. Both are in the running, although Mills has edged ahead with a New Zealand record in the shot of 62ft 3jin—a performance which places him at the head of the Empire rankings for the event. This time Tait will be wearing Otago colours. He has left the Army and returned to Dunedin. Since leaving Canterbury he has been strangely quiet Yet the man who once threw the discus more than 200 ft in an unofficial throw at Trentham is not likely to give up his title without a struggle. New Zealand records in both discus and shot are a distinct possibility. LEAP INTO TEAM Another event which promises to be a tense affair is the women’s long jump. Until recently, the Wellington and New Zealand champion, Miss J. Wilkins, was expected to have an easy win, one which would probably win her selection for Jamaica. Now a new contender has come on the scene—the 17-year-old Canterbury gjrl, Miss V. Gilmour. The two\met for the first time in the annual Canterbury-Wellington contest and Miss Gilmour unexpectedly won in very convincing

fashion. Her best leap (wind assisted) of 19ft lOin could be compared very favourably with Yvette Williams's national record of 20ft 7jln. The best Miss Wilkins could achieve was 19ft 2jin. If a woman long jumper is to be sent to Jamaica, it will be a straight fight between these two. The one who wins the title will probably get the nod. It will, nevertheless, have to be a good performance. MRS YOUNG’S BID The women’s shot and discus competitions will contain more interest than usual because of the late bid for Empire Games selection by the defending champion in both events, Mrs V. I. Young (Canterbury), and the strong opposition she is getting from another Canterbury athlete, the 18-year-old Miss D. Charteris. In the recent Canterbury championships Mrs Young went within an ace of tasting defeat in the discus. She had to rely on her final throw to beat Miss Charteris, who had led with a best throw of 158 ft 7in. Mrs Young’s last throw was 159 ft Bin. The performance of a third Canterbury athlete, Miss N. East, suggests that the province could easily take all three placing® in the national championship. She recorded 142 ft Bin. In the shot, Canterbury might take the first five placings, for the provincial standard has been so high that the selectors were forced to name five for the event.

Mrs Young and Miss Charteris promise to take the first

two pladngs, while Misses L. Curtis, B. Poulsen and S. A. Flynn are battling for the third major position. All are capable of reaching more than 40ft. The men’s javelin should once again go to R. G. Bell (Wellington), who has retained much of his form since leaving Canterbury. Some of his strongest opposition will come from his former Canterbury colleagues, D. C. Leary, D. Wightman and M. Stewart. Leary finished runner-up to Ball in the New Zealand event last season—although he was only third in the recent Canterbury championship. THIRD IN RANKINGS Sixteen-year-old Miss S. A. Flynn (Canterbury) will be the competitor to watch in the women’s javelin. She recently won the Canterbury title in a New Zealand record of 155 ft 9in. a performance which places her third in Commonwealth rankings for the event. If she can reproduce this form for the national championships she should win herself a ticket to Jamaica. She won the national title last year at the age of only 15. The men's high jump will be a great challenge to the defending champion W. R. Spiers (Canterbury). He should be equal to it although M. Jefferies (Auckland) and P. Wells (Canterbury), both former title-holders, will provide him with strong opposition. A host of young up-and-coming high jumpers could also strip him of his title if he fails to produce his be l * form.