Foster breaks world veteran record

Press, Volume CXIV, Issue 33439, 22 January 1974, Page 28

Foster breaks world veteran record

A crowd of more than 1000 saw two world records broken in New Zealand’s first international veterans’ track and field meeting at New Brighton yesterday.

More than 200 athletes from six countries competed at the New Brighton Athletic Club’s allweather frack at Keyes Road. New Zealand’s No. 1 marathon runner, J. C. Foster (Rotorua), delighted the crowd with a magnificent run in the over-40 10,000 m to break the world veteran record for this class by nearly 20sec. His time was 29min 38sec. The previous record was that of the former Olympic representative, A. Mimoun, of France. The triple Olympic gold medal winner, P. G. Snell, set the meeting off on a high note with a powerful win in the pre-veteran (over--35) 100 m sprint. He won in the time of 11.7 sec. But, the second and third runners, D. Davidson and W. Sharp, were closing on him rapidly at the finish, with only a tenth of a second separating them.

One of the delights of the day was also supplied by Snell, who showed every bit of his huge striding power which won him the world half-mile record. This was in the 400 m. He ran away with the race in the excellent time of 51.5 sec.

A former Olympic repre-

sentative from Israel, a journalist, Y. Pantilat, was second in 54.65ec, and I. Simm, of the Baptist club in Christchurch, was third in 55.55ec. WOMEN’S RECORD

Perhaps the surprise of the day was the unexpected world record by the former Olympic and Commonwealth Games Northern Ireland representative, Mrs M. Kyle. In the veterans’ women’s invitation 400 m she broke the world record for a woman of 45, by I.ssec, with a time of 62sec. She finished full of running, and was laughing when she hit the tape. She showed this was no flash in the pan with a later win in the women’s 100 m in 13.3 sec.

The former Australian Olympic 10,000 m and marathon representative, D. Power, won the over-45 10,000 m in 31min 50sec. More than 30 Australian athletes competed, and W. Sheppard, of Melbourne, the best half-miler in the world over the age of 50, showed his great stride in winning the 400 m for over-50 runners in 58.9 sec.

The former Olympic representative, J. L. Julian, won the pre-veteran 10,000 m in the good time of 32min 26sec. The Canterbury 15,000 m road champion, J. K. Macdo-

nald, was second in 33min 22.75ec. and M. Lusty, of the St' Martin’s club, Christchurch, was third in 38min 30sec. The commander of the Christchurch Police District, Chief Superintendent G. Tait, distinguished himself by winning the class three javelin event and was second in the discus. Two former Australian Olympic representatives, A. Thomas and P. Clohessy, dominated the 1500 m. Thomas won the pre-veter-ans’ race in 4min 3.7 sec, and Clohessy won the over 40 1500 m in magnificent style in 4min 14.1 sec. Thomas was given a tremendous fight by the Canterbury runner, J. D. Macdonald, who finished only a fifth of a second behind.

The crowd was surprised by the speed of the 50-year-old and 60-year-old sprinters. One of them, V. Pye, won the over-60 100 m in 14.1 sec.

The outstanding sprinter over 50 was an English medical practitioner, H. Trafford, who won his event in 13.6 sec. The Canterbury sports administrator, T. Crossen, dominated the over--40 100 m in the good time of 12.1 sec.

The meeting will end this afternoon.