Olympic Stronger Than Ever

Press, Volume CVI, Issue 31365, 10 May 1967, Page 17

Olympic Stronger Than Ever

’THE great depth of x strength of the Olympic Harrier Club was apparent from the results of the first

Inter-club harrier race of the season. In University’s Hagley memorial baton steeplechase relay Olympic’s strength was such that two of its six-man teams took the first two places. Results of relays do not always indicate the outcome of scratch races, however, when only four of an eightman team usually contribute points to their team. Because of this, some of the smaller clubs with fewer good runners may be capable of upsetting the numerically stronger ones. This has been well demonstrated in recent years by Greymouth. It has had

notable wins in the major inter-club relay, the TakaheAkaroa race, also. However, Olympic will have an advantage in that should it be unable to call on any one of its leading runners, another almost equally as good will be there to take his place. With the smaller clubs such a loss could be disastrous. Winner of the TakaheAkaroa relay last season, Olympic will have most of its stalwarts again and has made several notable gains. Among the gains are the former New Zealand junior two mile champion, D. J.

Reece, and R. T. Farmer. Both are former Olympic members. Reece has recently been with St. Martins and Farmer with University. Another gain from University is the useful B. Craig, while P. Watts has transferred from Technical. Two gains from outside the province are E. Smith from Mornington, Otago, and N. Ward from Scottish, Wellington. Both were highly rated inter-club performers in their former centres.