Hamilton’s chance if Power out

Press, Volume CX, Issue 32430, 17 October 1970, Page 48

Hamilton’s chance if Power out

If the New Zealand 5000 metres track champion, J. T, Power, of Canterbury, misses tae national championships at. Inglewood in February, this might provide another nation- •' ally ranked Canterbury athlete, K. Hamilton (Technical), with the incentive to reach new heights. ? .

Illness and injury have up- Power, of Timaru, has’ no

set Power’s preparation yet again. A recent bout of pneumonia prevented him beginning his training on schedule and he will'not now start until the . middle of next month. Because .of this, he is : doubtful whether he will be able to: defend his title. '

yet given up the idea of racing in the; 5000 metres.; He considers that he can get reasonably fit in ‘4 couple of months,”; but realises that he wjll be unable -to be at 'his peak for the national cfiarp.pionships—on. February. 26 and 27. At If Power doesn’t compete, tfien the field‘Will- b&Sride open. New Zealand's leading distance runners will be in Spain for the- international cross-country championships. Hamilton was third in the national 5000 metres last season and, regardless of- who is missing, he must have a great chance of victory this season. ' ■*. Power, whose career has been interrupted several times by illness dnd injury, won Ms title .togrand fashion during a- tropical storm in Auckland this year. He has been unable to run since April because of a sore foot-which refused to heal. He decided to take a complete rest from harriers with the idea of starting his track season build-up in September but then he fell ill with pneumonia. He says he has previously brought himself up to a reasonable standard in /only a few months, and although he is now aged 29 he might be able to do so again.