International fields in twilight athletics

Press, Volume CXI, Issue 32775, 27 November 1971, Page 14

International fields in twilight athletics

(By R. O. DEW) Plans ai-e now well advanced for the multiple ' - sponsored “twilight” Australasian Invitation Track and Field Classic, to be held by the Toe H Amateur Athletics Club at Rugby Park on January 5. Many of New Zealand’s leading contenders for a place in the team to travel to Munich for the Olympic Games and a large group of top Australian men and women athletes have confirmed their entries for the meeting, one of the most ambitious projects undertaken by a club in Canterbury. As well, there is the possibility of representatives from America and Fiji taking part. An invitation has been extended to the American armed services, through the Deep Freeze base, to send a fiveman team. The Australian athletes, ail from the Box Hill (women) and Powerhouse (men) clubs in Melbourne, should provide their New Zealand rivals with some stiff competition, especially in the men’s ranks. Among the visitors will be the prominent sprinter, B. Minnihan. His best time for the 100 metres is 10.4 sec. This is equal to the

New Zealand record for the distance, jointly held by the Aucklander, M. L. Rae, and Australia’s B. Waters. However, Minnihan will have to be at his best if he is to be sure of victory. New Zealand’s two top sprinters, B. Smith (Wellington) and C. Daly (Hawkes’ Bay),. have accepted invitations to compete. Smith won both the 100 and 200 metres titles at the last New Zealand championships and Daly, a former national sprint and hurdles champion, was runner-up in the 100 metres. One of the feature events promises to be the 5000 metres. This will be given its international flavour by the inclusion of the Victorian 10,000 metres champion, E. Coyle, who has shown tremendous potential in long distance track events. His opposition will include the two New Zealand cross-country representatives, G. Thorley (Wellington) and E.. M. Gray (Greymouth), and the Canterbury champion, K. Hamilton. There is also the possibility that the former New Zealand 1500 metres track champion, R. Tayler (Dunedin), will compete in this event but he has yet to nominate the event in which he wishes to run. The same applies to T. Sutherland (Otago) and the Canterbury 800 and 1500 metres champion, A. Gilmour. They have the choice of the 800 and 1500 metres. If they enter the 800 metres, the race could develop into a grand struggle,

s for the opposition will in- : elude the New Zealand 1 champion, B. A. Hunter (Otago), and the leading 1 Australian, O. Holdsworth, s It is also likely that the 1971 national 1500 metres > champion, K. Ross (Wan- - ganui), will be competing. r He, too, could run in either - the 800 or 1500 metres, - with equal chances of sucs cess. ! All Canterbury’s most ' prominent athletes are * expected to appear. Among J them will be the New Zea- ’ land pentathlon and shot ’ champion. Miss B. Poulsen, the New Zealand discus s champion, Mrs S. A. Mene, ) the former Commonwealth i Games shot and discus r champion, Mrs V. I. Young, - and the New Zealand - hammer champion, W. J. s Nicholl. The hammer might - yet become one of the feac ture international events. G. Brayden, the bronze medal I winner at the 1970 Austra- . lian championships, might . accompany the Powerhouse . athletes to Christchurch. / The meeting, which pro- - mises to be a great occa- - sion for the sport in Christe church, has been approved r by the Commonwealth s Games Organising Cominir tee and has been designated i “Games Project No. 122.” 5 Half the proceeds will be 1 donated to the Games fund. Mr K. Ryall, the chief organiser, and his willing band e of helpers have put in a j tremendous amount of . . work to make such a meet-' e ing possible. If it is the success It 3 promises to be, it might - well become an annual i, event.