Athletic youth

Press, Volume CXII, Issue 33094, 8 December 1972, Page 19

Athletic youth

A keen battle has developed in the Canterbury inter-club children’s athletic competition between the two leading teams, New Brighton and Toe H. New Brighton is leading the competition with 290 points but Toe H is only six points and a half behind. Third place is held by Technical with 220 points. There are two more meetings before Christmas and competition promises to be particularly The nine-year-old girl sprinters have been turning in some good times this season. J. Wood (New Brighton), S. Beauchamp (Toe H) and R. Steinmetz (New Brighton) lead the way. Miss Wood has the best time of 9.2 sec for 60 metres with the other two both being credited with best times of 9.ssec. D. Beauchamp (Toe H), a sister of S. Beauchamp, leads the Girls’ 11 years grade in the 60 metres sprint with a best time of B.7sec. Tied on 9.0 sec are M. Cosgrieff (Technical) and D. Spiers (Papanui Marist). All these times are outstanding for the age group, and reflect the depth of talent in the sprint events in the childrens section of athletics. The upsurge in high jumping in Canterbury this year is also reflected in the performances on Saturday mornings. Three boys who look destined to break the records now being set are E. Peterson (Technical), with a best jump of 4ft 6in in the Boys’ 11

years section, and A. Sullivan (Shirley) and B. Waldron (Toe H), who have cleared the same height Peterson has also shown ability on the long jump, stretching the tape out to 14ft 6in. However, he has to accept second place in this event to Sullivan who has done a very credible 15ft s|in. Waldron holds third ranking with a best leap of 14ft 21in. These three should extend each other as the season progresses. Two boys set a best standard in their age group

in the 100 metres last Saturday. They are J. Gill (Toe H) and C. Nicholls (Toe H). Competing in the boys’ eight years section, they both ran the distance in the very good time of 15.5 sec. With such close competition, both boys must stand every chanee of lowering this standard even further during the season.

Two young sprinters are also tied with times in the boys’ nine years grade. N. McKenzie (Technical) and R. Hughes (Toe H) have both run 100 metres in 14.8 sec. They too should benefit from the close competition. There was some fine discus throwing in the girls’ 12 years grade last Saturday. Competing in the New Brighton colours, V. Philips did 57ft Bin. Behind her were M. Avia (New Brighton) with 51ft 6in and D. Granger (Technical) with 50ft 4|in. These girls could be destined to carry on the high standard in Canterbury set by Commonwealth Games athletes such as V. Young and S. Mene.

Entries have closed for the Toe H Club’s mini-Olympics to be held on January 26 and 27. More than 400 entries have been received and officials are at present working on a programme. This meeting should be the chief target for most junior athletes this season.

St Thomas’s College won the north-west zone of the Christchurch secondary schools’ team athletic competition. The college was unbeaten in the five rounds held. Teams from Middleton Grange, Riccarton High School, Hillmorton High School, Bumside High School and Christchurch Boys’ High School contested this zone. To win against teams of such obvious strength was a very creditable performance by the St Thomas’s team. This was a very keenly fought competition.

Mr B. H. Kerr will be the manager of the Christchurch inter-secondary school championships — not the national event