Sights on Pan Pacific Games

Press, Volume CXII, Issue 33049, 17 October 1972, Page 30

Sights on Pan Pacific Games

Having broken the 50ft “barrier” in the triple jump for the first time on Saturday, the New Zealand champion, K. G. Simpson (Toe H), has now set his sights on winning selection for the Pan Pacific Games in Canada next year.

Simpson, who is now 27 and clearly in the best form of his athletic career, considers that a distance of about 52ft will be needed to Kain selection for the New Zealand team. “After the way I went on Saturday I think I can do it,” he said.

However, his chief aim for the season will be to retain the New Zealand title he won from the brilliant Auckland veteran, D. S. Norris, at the end of last season.

And if his form on opening day was a reliable guide, he will certainly be the man to beat in national competition this season. All four of his attempts were of 48ft or greater, and his best of 50ft 4$ in was Ift 9in better than his existing Canterbury record. It will go unrecognised because wind assistance was slightly more than the allowable maximum, but it is just

as certain that there will be some changes to this mark before long. Simpson attributed some of the credit for his grand early season form to the work he did with weights during the winter. He worked-out two nights a week at the Canterbury Weight-lifting Association’s gymnasium and can now cope with quarter squats with more than 3401 b on the bar. “This has definitely helped me a great deal,” Simpson said. “It has strengthened my legs consider, ably.” LONG JUMP The triple jump will be Simpson’s main event this season, but he will also place considerable emphasis on his long jumping. He finished runner-up in this event at the last national championships, and will certainly be among the leading contenders this season. Before the summer ends, he hopes to be “close to 25ft" in this. He is determined to improve on his previous best of slightly more than 24ft. His Canterbury record stands at 23ft 11 Jin, his best “official” jump. Simpson will get his first chance to see how his weight training programme has helped his long jumping at Rugby Park on Saturday.