N.Z. WINS FIFTH GOLD MEDAL

Press, Volume CVI, Issue 31135, 11 August 1966, Page 20

N.Z. WINS FIFTH GOLD MEDAL

20st Butcher Avenges His 1962 Defeat

(Special Correspondent N.Z.P A.) KINGSTON. New Zealand won its fifth Commonwealth Games gold medal yesterday and it is doubtful if there will be a more popular victory at Kingston.

The 20st Auckland butcher, D. B. Oliver, who carried New Zealand’s flag in the opening ceremony, hoisted 1096|1b to win the heavy-weight weight-lifting title and set a new games record. There were many New Zealanders on hand to cheer their captain when he took his place on the victory dais.

Oliver’s was the only medal of the day won by New Zealand, but Miss V. G. Haddon caused a stir at the swimming when she won her heat of the 110 yards breaststroke in Imin 19.7 sec. She broke the games record held by Miss A. Lonsbrough, of England, by I.6sec and was o.ssec off the world mark. She will swim in the final of the event on Thursday with great hopes of winning New Zealand’s first swimming gold medal since J. Dorns won ft Vancouver in 1954. Oliver, a silver medalist at Perth, where he was beaten by A. Shannos, of Australia, on a count-back, yesterday had his revenge when Shannos had to take second placing. Just how much Oliver has IT7OC in.

dicated by his winning margin of more than 701 b, helped by a magnificent clean and jerk of 44011 b, which set a Games record. But Oliver’s win was more than statistics. Practically every New Zealander who was not competing was at the theatre for the weight lifting events and the cheer that went up when Oliver completed his final test was a mighty one. Among the voices that were raised were New Zealand’s other gold medal winners at these Games—R. A. Williams, Mrs V. I. Young and L. R. Mills. Has To Withdraw For Mills, however, the day must have been tinged with disappointment. He was to have competed in the weightlifting and become the first New Zealander to represent

But a groin injury he suffered winning the discus forced him to withdraw from the weight-lifting. Oliver broke the Games record of 10401 b held since the Vancouver Games by the former world champion, D. Hepburn. Shannos had a total lift of 1024}1b, and the Trinidad lifter, B. Bailey, took the bronze medal with 1019|lb. Defend Title Oliver said after his win that he would like to continue lifting and make a further bid for an Olympic medal at Mexico City in 1968. He said he planned to have a lay-off of six months and then to defend his New Zealand title in preparation for the Olympic Games. He had been practising up to nine hours a week for the Commonwealth title and was deeply indebted to his trainer, the New Zealand weight-lifting manager, Mr T. George, of Auckland, for his help and encouragement here and at home. Oliver said that he was never over-confident of winning the gold medal. “I never like to be too confident,” he said. “I like to talk myself into a corner and then fight out of it. “I find this way that if I begin with some doubts I can become confident without tension.”

Oliver's gold medal was the first New Zealand has won here for other than track and field events.