Gray easily retains 10,000 metres title

Press, Volume CXI, Issue 32531, 15 February 1971, Page 15

Gray easily retains 10,000 metres title

The New Zealand cross-country representative, E. M. Gray (Greymouth), celebrated his return to Rugby Park on Saturday after an absence of 12 months by comfortably retaining his Canterbury 10,000-metre championship.

Grey, the holder of the national title for the distance, ran the last 11 laps on his own after K. Hamilton (Technical), who won the 5000-metre title the week before, dropped back.

The tenacious West Coaster could not afford to produce anything less than a maximum effort, because the New Zealand cross-country selectors had stipulated that every member of the national team to leave for the international championships in Spain at the end of this month, had first to run 10,000 metres in less than 30min.

In the high temperatures and windy conditions, Gray just failed to accomplish this. He broke the tape in 30min 48.1 sec. “I hope the selectors will take the conditions into account,” commented Gray, who will be making his third overseas trip with the national team in March. “It was pretty tough. That wind was a real problem coming up the front* straight.” Hamilton, the only competitor to provide Gray with any sort of competition, finished in a comfortable second place in Simin 40sec. He did his best to help Gray in the early stages by sharing the pace. At the half-way distance the pair was 6sec down on the schedule for a 30min 10,000 metres. Gray made his break shortly afterwards, but with nine laps to go was 15sec down on his schedule, and before the end had dropped even further behind.

The high temperatures and difficult conditions appeared to have an adverse effect on the size of the field. Of the 30 entrants, only a dozen started, and several of these failed to

reach the finish, detracting considerably from what promised to be an outstanding spectacle. The three runners ranked top In Canterbury on time for the event—J. Sheddan (Olympic), B. Taylor (Unlversity-Shirley) and J. D. Macdonald (Olympic)—did not reach the starting line. Sheddan, who has also been chosen for the New Zealand cross-country team, elected to pass up the opportunity to break the 30min demanded by the selectors for 10,000 metres and concentrate on defending his provincial 3000 metres steeplechase title.

He won this in fine style in 9min 21.4 sec, but this race was rather an anti-climax. Only two of the seven entrants faced the starter. Sheddan will make his attempt to meet the selectors SOmin fitness test at the Ham twilight meeting on Wednesday. Taylor, injured earlier in the Beason in a steeplechase event, did not recover in time for the championship, and he has now decided not to compete again this season.

FINE DOUBLE A powerful finishing sprint gave the outstanding Technical athlete, A. Gilmour, a deserved win in the senior 1500 metres championship. He set the pace or shared it for the entire distance. and when the field launched itself on its finishing burst with 200 metres to run, he took off and nobody could stay with him. B. Robinson (High School Old Boys) hung on grimly for second place while B. Cattermole (Christchurch) surprisingly gained the better of the defending champion, M. Clarkson (New Brighton), in the run to the tape. Clarkson, who won last season in 3min 52.65ec, was a mere shadow of his former self. He tried to sprint from the 300-yard mark on the last lap, but his move was not decisive- enough and the others were ready for it. He trotted across the finishing

line, a disconsolate figure, in fourth place, realising his chances of running at the New Zealand championships towards the end of this month had all but disappeared. Gilmour’s time for the race was a creditable 3min 53.65ec. His win gave him the main championship double. On the first day a week before he won the 800 metres title. "I felt dead,” he said after the race. “I was just running automaUcally.” Robinson’s time for second, a position he also filled in (he 800 metres, was 3min 54.55ec. The junior 800 metres resulted in a surprise win for M. Dillon (Christchurch). D. Green (Christchurch), the favourite, set the early pace, leading the field through the first lap in 57sec. Then, with about 250 metres to run, Dillon bolted into the lead and Green was knocked out of his stride. By the time he regained his balance, the defending cham- *• Gallagher (UnlversityShirley) had gone past tob. p re ® n rallied to edge out Gallagher for the second place, but he could make no impression whatever on Dillon, who broke the tape in the good time of Imin 56.1 sec.

HURDLES RECORD Another excellent performance by a junior was produced by R. Mclntosh (Old Boys). He won, the junior 400 metres hurdles in 55.1sec—1.4sec inside his own provincial record. His effort was all the more praiseworthy because he ran the event on his own—he was the only entrant. K. Simpson (Toe H) also bettered his existing Canterbury senior record in the long jump when he cleared 23ft 9in at his first attempt. This fine jump, unfortunately, will go unrecognised because of wind assistance. The record stands at 23ft This contest was one of considerable interest because the depth of ability In the field was remarkable. After* Simpson’s great opening leap. W. Jowett (Unlversity-Shirley), realised it would take something very special to win and he threw caution to the winds. He had three no jumps, one of them in the vicinity of 24ft, before recording 23ft 6Jin on his last attempt. This gave him the run-ner-up position. Two others exceeded 23ft. D. Brown (Temuka) took third place with a last leap of 23ft Hin. M. Mene (Technical), was fourth with a best distance of 23ft (Hin. H. J. Ruffell (Technical) received a warning that he might not have things all his own way in future shot championships. He won the title with a best throw of 49ft 4Jin, but was constantly under pressure from G. May (Old Boys), who has this season been concentrating on weight-lifting. May, making one of his rare appearances In athletics these days, took second place with a best put of 47ft. The experienced all-rounder, D. C. Leary (Toe H), won his second title of the championships when he threw the senior javelin out to 200 ft 4in on his last attempt On the first day he won the 110 metres hurdles.