OLYMPIC TITBITS

Press, Volume CXII, Issue 33005, 26 August 1972, Page 16

OLYMPIC TITBITS

New Zealand’s four rowing crews should all go forward without trouble to the semifinals. This is the conclusion that can be drawn from the draw for the first day of the Olympic regatta. The eight, the coxless four, and the single sculler, M. Watkinson. will be favourites to win their heats and thus go straight through to semifinals. The four with cox, which has drawn a harder heat, has only to get in the first three to go direct to the semi-final.

“It is a good draw and should suit us well,” said the rowing section manager (Mr F. Strachan) after the meeting which decided the places in the heats. The eights have drawn 15 entries, the coxless four 20 entries, the four with cox, 14. and the single sculls, 18. * * #

Seeding allotted New Zealand’s six Olympic swimmers have exceeded the k sst expectations of team officials. In almost every case, the New Zealanders have been ranked higher in the field than had seemed likely, and so morale is high in the New Zealand camp. The highest seeding goes to M. Treffers in the 1500 metres, where he is ranked ninth in a field of 45. This means he should be a certainty for the 16-man semifinal, and will have to make only a marginal improvement on his best form to reach the final. The Christchurch schoolgirl, Miss S. Hunter, is also just out of the top eight for the 400 metres individual medley, with tenth place, in the 40-competitor field, while Miss J. Parkhouse, also of Christchurch, has the eleventh-best time in the 800 metres freestyle entry of 37. The remaining three swimmers, C. Herring, J. McConnochie, and Miss H. Coombridge, are all either among the top 16 in the field or very near it, in their specialities. # ® ®

The New Zealand 1500 metres men, R. Dixon and A. Polhill, both recorded their best times for 1000 metres — coming fourth in their heats—in pre-Games races on Thursday evening. Polhill was the last of nine men at the bell, and was still ninth starting the last bend, having had a very bad start. He passed three on the bend and two more in the straight to finish in 2min. 20.8 sec. Dixon was fifth at the bell and badly boxed in, and got past only one man in the straight to finish in 2min. 23sec.

In a 3000 metres race, G. Thorley ran the slow time of Bmin. lOsec. R. Tayler was even slower. The race was won by the American 5000 metres hope, S. Prefontaine, who was about 130 yards ahead of Thorley in 7min 47.65ec., Bsec. outside the world record.

The best race of the evening was an exciting 3000 metres steeplechase. in which T. Takenchi (japan) raced past K. O’Brien (Australia) to win in the fast time of Bniin 33sec.

The New Zealand hockey team beat France, 5-1, in a pre-Olympics match on Thursday. The New Zealanders looked a little jaded after their previous crisp showing in a 1-2 loss to Pakistan. But their skills were too good for the Frenchmen, and the result was seldom in doubt.

The untidier aspect of the New Zealanders’ play was partly the result of France’s strong emphasis on defence. It played three full-backs, and New Zealand had to scoop and chase more frequently than against Pakistan.

New Zealand’s coach (Mr R. Gillespie) switched his players around somewhat, but T. Borren, A. Parkin, and J. Archibald were not used because of injuries. But Borren was moving quite freely after suffering a nasty blow across the shin the previous day. The injury has responded well to the ice-pack treatment given by the New Zealand medical officer (Dr T. R. Anderson). Archibald has a badly swollen upper-lip after being struck across the face, and Parkin is still troubled by a skinned heel.

All players are expected to be fit enough to be considered for selection against Australia tomorrow afternoon, New Zealand’s opening match. * * *

V. Hanary, of New Zealand, finished third behind the Australians C. Sefton and G. Jose in a special 85 miles

road cycling race arranged by team managers on the Olympic course on Thursday. A field of 21 riders from New Zealand, Australia, Thailand, Mexico, United States, Jamaica, and Argentina took part. J. Ellis (U.S.A.) was fourth in the sprint, but B. Biddle (.New Zealand) stopped 100 yards short of the finish when lying fifth in the sprint.

New Zealand’s third road cyclist. B. Pascoe, punctured on the third of six laps and with no supporting vehicles handy was half a mile behind by the time he had obtained another wheel.