Is N.Z. No Longer A Top Middle Distance Country?

Press, Volume CVI, Issue 31339, 8 April 1967, Page 11

Is N.Z. No Longer A Top Middle Distance Country?

'A FEW years ago New Zealand was one of the strongest middle distance running countries in the world. Now, it seems, this is no longer the case, for the national athletic selectors (Messrs J. Borland, of Southland, and C. Thompson, of Waikato) have not nominated a single distance runner for the Commonwealth team to compete against the United States at Loa Angeles in July. In fact, only one track runner, Miss B. Matthews (Auckland), has been nominated and her chances of success in the final selection are slim. Her best events are the 100 yards sprint and the 80 metres hurdles. She can hardly be expected to win these with someone the calibre of Australia’s Miss P. Kilborn in the Commonwealth team. The reasons for the selectors’ move are many and varied. With P. G. Snell, J. L. Davies and M. G. Halberg all sitting on the sidelines, the standard of middle distance competition is certainly lower than it has been. However, the main problem the selectors faced was that most of the country’s top track performers were away with the national cross-country team at the time of the New Zealand championships. Because of this they were unable to provide any recent times and it is on current i performances, not reputation or potential, that the Com-

monwealth team will be chosen by LieutenantColonel J. Davies, of Canada. At the same time the Americans are certainly going to be disappointed to find that W. D. Baillie (Auckland) has not been nominated. In athletic circles in America he has won himself a formidable reputation. Baillie won the New Zealand six miles title again this season and although his time was not particularly fast, these was no need for him to push himself. If he missed nomination on the basis of a slow time in this race he has been treated unfairly. Other middle distance runners who possibly deserved better treatment were M. Ryan (Waikato), B. Everitt (Wellington) and B. R. Jones (Canterbury). All three are capable of good times over three and six miles, and no doubt would * have risen above their New Zealand best performances in America. But here again the selectors had no recent times to reinforce- their nominations with, and so they had to be overlooked. The Americans are also going to miss the Commonwealth shot and discus champion, Mrs V. L Young, and the half-mile finalist, Mrs M. A. Stephen, who have both retired. The Commonwealth Games 3000 metres steeplechase champion, R. P. Welsh (Otago) was not available.

It can only be hoped that other Commonwealth countries can nominate their recognised athletes. Otherwise this may be the first and last official meeting between the United States and the Commonwealth in track and field athletics. New Zealand will have a particularly strong representation in field events if all nominations are accepted for the final team. But it is difficult to visualise any of them winning their events. Not even L. R. Mills (Auckland, shot and discus) or R. D. Tait (Otago, discus), New Zealand’s two 19st giants, can expect to beat America’s best They could, nevertheless, reach to personal best distances. R. Hargreaves (Waikato) is another who could improve his shot distance with more international competition.

Miss D. Charteris (Canterbury, shot and discus), and Mrs P. Kenny (Waikato, high jump) are the other two field events nominations. B. A. Williams (Auckland) deserves his nomination for the decathlon. He won the Commonwealth title last year in Jamaica and could certainly provide America's leading all-round-ers with some strong outside competition. It is particularly pleasing to see two walkers, N. R. Read (West Coast, North Island) and T. Mayhew (Southland), nominated for the 20 kilometres event Of all New Zealand’s nominations it is they who probably stand the greatest chance of winning. They could conceivably take the first two places and provide this Cinderella form of athletics with a solid boost.