Hammer champion to wind up career

Press, Volume CXII, Issue 33061, 31 October 1972, Page 28

Hammer champion to wind up career

(By

R. O. DEW

The New Zealand hammer throwing champion, W. J. Nichol! (Technical), now aged 28, has set a limit of two more years on his athletic career. In this time he hopes to represent New Zealand at the Pacific Conference Games, in Canada, next vear, and in the 1974 Christchurch Commonwealth Games. But at the end of it he intends to compete only on a social level. He wants to concentrate on his career in the Police Force and to spend more time with his family. “LOSING DRIVE” After winning the interclub hammer event at Rugby Park on Saturday with a throw of only 178 ft 9in, Nichol! admitted that he was having difficulty raising enthusiasm for the sport this season. “I have done hardly any training at all. I seem to have lost a bit of my drive and I am throwing the worst I have for about three years.” However, he is hopeful that once the season gets under way, his enthusiasm will return. One of his goals before retiring is to break the 200 ft barrier. His best distance is 196 ft Ilin, set at the Edinburgh Commonwealth Games in 1970.

Only one New Zealand hammer thrower has exceeded 200 ft — M. Cheater, a former Auckland athlete Who has been living in England for the last three years. He has been credited with a throw of 212 ft in England, but has never won the national title. Cheater is returning to New Zealand in June, and Nicholl, who generally had his measure when they met previously, is keen to compete against him. “It is the only thing that keeps me going,” he said with a laugh.

“I want to show him that he wasted him time going overseas. If he had stayed here, I know that I would be throwing much better,”

Nicholl is, nevertheless, fully aware of the benefits to be gained from a period competing overseas. “The only way to improve is to go overseas where there are top coaches and strong competition.” Nicholl once thought of doing this but has now discarded the idea because of the sacrifices he would have to make. Instead, he has three New Zealand senior championships and the national hammer record to his credit. STONE UNDERWEIGHT

Although he is a full stone under his best throwing weight of 16 stone, he hopes to win his fourth national title this season. His main

rivals, promise to be his fellow Christchurch thrower, B. Harland (Technical), who threw over 170 ft in his opening competition last Saturday, and the former New Zealand champion, D. Gilliland (Auckland). They were second and third, respectively, behind Nicholl in last season’s national event. But Nicholl has not decided “definitely” to continue. This will depend on whether he can find sufficient incentives to renew his enthusiasm. “You can’t keep going for ever,” he says.