Tweedie wins 400 metres title with superb run

Press, Volume CXII, Issue 32846, 21 February 1972, Page 17

Tweedie wins 400 metres title with superb run

Running in the unpopular outside lane, the former provincial sprint champion, A. W. Tweedie (High School Old Boys), showed that he was far from a spent ‘force in athletics with a superb win in the final of the Canterbury 400 [metres championship at [Rugby Park on Saturday.

As the field straightened for the sprint to the tape, Tweedie was only third but with a perfectly timed burst he swept to the lead only yards from the finish to defeat the 1970 champion, S. W. Cowles (UniversityShirley), by inches.

His winning time of 48.4 sec was an outstanding one on a track such as that at Rugby Park and equalled his previous best, converted from a 440yds run four years ago. Cowles, too, ran an outstanding race. But he did not have the finish that Tweedie produced. His time of 48.6 sec was also a fine one. AU three place-getters this time were faster than G. McKechnie’s winning time last season of 49.25ec. R. Mclntosh (High School Old Boys), who is perhaps better known for his exploits over the 400 metres hurdles, showed no little pace to record 49sec for third place.

McKechnie, who has now moved north, did not defend his title. Afterwards, Tweedie, who had

previously twice been runner-up in the championship, was elated. “I just don’t know what to say. It is tremendous. I felt very strong coming into the straight and 1 haven’t felt like that for years.” When asked how he felt about running in the outside lane, he said: ‘T would have been upset about drawing this a couple of years ago, but it didn’t worry’ me today. The winner of the last European 400 metres championship drew’ the outside lane and he said afterw’ards that he had just pinned his ears back and run. That is what I decided to do, but I held myself in reserve a little in the early stages.” This season Tweedie, a former winner of both the 100yds and 220yds championships, has been running purely for enjoyment, and he had no real target in the sport. But his win was tremendously popular for he has been desperately unlucky in previous finals.

Cowles, too, was quite happy to see his old rival claim the honour he so richly deserved. “He ran a great race. He deserved to win, but it must have been really close—l’ve got the burn marks of the tape on my neck.”

Later in the day Tweedie was named by the Canterbury selectors (Messrs D. W. Mackenzie, V. Brie dis and W. Jowett) as the Farmers’ “Athlete of the Week.” The award was presented to Tweedie by Mr Mackenzie, who had defeated Tweedie by inches for the title in 1969, his last year of serious competition. ANDERSON’S UPSET

The 19-year-old High School Old Boys sprinter, G. Anderson, set a fast early pace in the 400 metres final and was well placed before he drifted back to finish fourth. But this event must have been rather an anti-climax for him.

Earlier in the day he provided one of the upsets of the after-

noon by defeating the reigning Canterbury champion, T. Cochrane (Old Boys), in the 100 metres final. After his great win over the national champion, B. Smith (Wellington), a short time ago, Cochrane was an obvious favourite but Anderson started well and had just too much finishing speed for his clubmate

And so Cochrane, who has been in remarkably fine form in recent weeks, will end the season without a single Canterbury title to his name. The previous week he had let his 200 metres title go undefended after accepting an invitation to run at an international meeting in Dunedin. Anderson won that title too.

Anderson’s winning time on Saturday was llsec, two-tenths of a second faster than the time Cochrane won the title in the previous year. Cochrane was. second in 1 Llsec, another good time, and Cowles was third in 11.3 sec.

i As expected, A. Gilmour (Technical) won the senior 1500 metres for the second successive year. This time his run was slightly faster. He stopped the watches at 3min 51.7 sec. Although he led the race virtually from start to finish, he had some unexpectedly strong opposition from the New Zealand cross country representative J. Sheddan (Olympic), and a former title-holder, S. McLean (Toe H).

Gilmour completed the first lap in 60sec with McLean and Sheddan tucked in behind. The order was still the same as Gilmour led through the 800 metres mark in 2min 3sec.

On the last lap, Sheddan moved round McLean on the final bend and closed on Gilmour but the defending champion was not caught napping. He threw a glance over his shoulder, quickly realised the seriousness of Sheddan’s challenge and accelerated away to win by three yards. Sheddan was second in 3min 52.1 sec and McLean third in 3min 54.25ec.

D. Green (Christchurch) had an effortless win in the junior 800 metres in the good time of Imin 53.1 sec. W. Sheddan (Olympic) finished strongly in second place. The defending champion, M. Dillon (Christchurch), never appeared a threat and finished well back in fifth place. Another Christchurch club athlete, B. Crocker, won the junior

5000 metres with a fine run, lapping the 1971 winner, O. Hesp (University-Shirley). His time of 15min 11.6 sec was 13.2 sec better than Hesp’s winning time last season. SIMPSON’S RECORD K. G. Simpson (Toe H) succeeded in defending his senior long jump title in the face of a determined challenge from M. Mene (Technical). However, he had to produce a record-breaking leap of 23ft lliin to make sure of the title. This was an improvement of 3in on the record he set two years ago. Mene’s best jump was also of more than 23ft—by half an inch. Simpson’s consistency was quite remarkable. He had one other jump exceeding his old record—a 23ft 91in leap with wind assistance—but all of his six attempts were 23ft 7in or greater. “This is what was really satisfying,” he said. Another exceptional performance in the field events was that of M. Stewart (Toe H) in the javelin. His winning throw of 209 ft indicated that he w r as right in line for national honours at Hamilton in a few weeks’ time. The defending champion, D. C. Leary (Toe H), failed by just 2in to reach the 200 ft mark and had to settle for the runner-up position. The women’s 100 metres sprint title went to a 14-year-old schoolgirl, Miss B. Peterson (Technical). She finished with a great rush, to beat the defending champion, Miss F. Teahen (Temuka), in 12.4 sec. New Zealand’s top all-round woman athlete. Miss B. Poulsen (Technical), finished right up in third place. Miss T. Kane (Ashburton) won the women’s 400 metres in 58.3 sec. The defending champion, Miss L. Mackay (South Canter-

i bury), misjudged the early pace ; and struggled in third behind [Miss J. Beale (New Brighton). ; Miss Mackay collapsed on the track immediately after crossing the finishing line and was assisted from the arena in a very distressed condition. The 1500 metres women's title also changed hands. Miss J. Gilling (Toe H) won comfortably from the title-holder, Miss D. Falvey (South Canterbury), in 4min 54.4 sec.

Miss Poulsen added a fourth title to her season’s collection with a fine win in the women’s 100 metres hurdles. She had already won the decathlon, shot and long jump championships. As expected, Mrs V. I. Young (Technical), finished the meeting with two titles. She won the high jump with a leap of 4ft Ilin after a keen tussle with I Miss J. Quigley (Toe H) and the discus with a best throw of 144 ft |2iin. Mrs S. A. Mene, the 1971 champion,, did not defend her [ title.