Walker-Ball Duel For Canterbury Decathlon

Press, Volume CVIII, Issue 31588, 27 January 1968, Page 11

Walker-Ball Duel For Canterbury Decathlon

rpHE duel between the reigning Canterbury champion, M. Walker (Technical), and the former national champion, R. G. Ball (Old Boys), promises to be the highlight of the provincial decathlon championship at Rugby Park today and tomorrow. Walker won the title last year, scoring the impressive total of 5939 points with a particularly tenacious performance.. Ball, back in Christchurch after a period in the North Island, was rather below his usual form and finished third behind W. Sinclair on 5734 points.

If current form is any indication both could exceed these totals by substantial margins this weekend. Ball, who is as strong as ever, only needs to improve slightly in some of his weakest events to provide a serious threat to Walker. With several throws of more than 200 ft in the javelin this season and some fine discus and shot performances behind him as well, he must heavily outscore Walker in these. In the track events, Walker should have an advantage. Ball, who is not training perhaps as hard as he did when at his peak a few years ago, will probably find himself trailing in all running' races, although strength rather than speed will be the criterion in the 1500 metres. Ball’s remark-

able strength was displayed in a decathlon hurdles event a few seasons ago when he knocked down every hurdle and still finished with a reasonable time. Walker can expect to gain points from the pole vault, an event in which he has shown much improvement in the last 12 months. Last season he finished third in the New Zealand decathlon championship behind R. A. Williams (Auckland) and P. Lothian (Auckland). If he can overcame the vast experience of Ball this week-end he could well replace Lothian as New Zealand’s second best decathlon athlete when the national championship is decided at Whangarei on March 8 and 9. Walker scored 5957 points in last year’s national championship. The women’s pentathlon should be won by Miss B. Poulsen (Technical). She is the present New Zealand champion, a title she has now held for the last two years, and on form is unlikely to be beaten.

However, consistency has not been one of Miss Poulsen’s strong points. Last season she was dramatically beaten into third place in

the Canterbury championship and the title went to Miss L. Sinclair. Later she made amends by retaining her national title but it showed that In spite of her ability in a great many events she was far from invincible. Miss Sinclair is not defending her Canterbury title and Miss Poulsen’s strongest competition will probably come from her Technical club-mates, Misses S. A. Flynn and D. M. Charteris. Both are in excellent form and may go close to the 4500-point mark as well. If she is on form today Miss Poulsen may break the New Zealand record of 4501 points set by Mrs L. E. Wilson (Canterbury) four years ago. Miss Poulsen’s best performance is 4408 points, achieved in 1966 when she won her first national title at Hamilton. Only two other New Zealand women have surpassed

this, Mrs Wilson and Mrs V. I. Young (4459 points). i The under-17 girls pentathlon should be an enthralling struggle. Misses L. • Johns, the defending champion, C. Green and L. Anderi son, all from the Technical > club, have all shown ability 1 over a wide variety of events making it impossible to select one of them as favourite.