Hard Work Ahead

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

Hard Work Ahead

CANTERBURY gymnasts will have to work hard if they are to compete with credit when the New Zealand gymnastic championships are held in Christchurch at Cowles Stadium, beginning on August 24. With the Olympic Games in Mexico City in 1968, the competition in the senior grades should be particularly keen. A good standard should be reached. After the first visit of New Zealand to an Olympic Games in 1964, a team of about 16 male and female gymnasts attended the world championships at Dortmund. The benefits of this experience should be reflected in the performances at the national championships. About 120 competitors are expected to compete in the eight grades. The grades will be men, women, girls and youths. Each grade will have an A and a B section. Men competitors have been well below the standard of the women in the past but this gap is quickly be-

ing bridged. The necessity to train two or three hours a day has now been realised by the men. Local interest will centre around the girls in the junior grade. South Island champions and place-getters in last year’s nationals— Misses J. Buchanan, L. Beazley, L. Blaikie and L. Walmsley—have now moved up from girl’s B to A. They will have to work hard but should do very well. In the women’s grade, Misses H. J. Johnston and S. Buxton will be competing against very tough competition. W. Stanley, D. Empson, D. Goss, R. Henderson and R. Graham will be leading the Canterbury male competitors. • A female training squad has been at work since February learning the new set exercises for this year’s championships. Unfortunately the male exercises have only recently come to hand. Which means it will be difficult to reach a high standard for the championships.