BRONZES, TOO, TO N.Z. WRESTLERS

Press, Volume CXIV, Issue 33447, 31 January 1974, Page 10

BRONZES, TOO, TO N.Z. WRESTLERS

Gordon Mackay, an aggressive 25-year-old farmer from Auckland, last evening added another 74kg wrestling bronze medal to the one that he came home with from Edinburgh four years ago.

In his first bout yesterday, Mackay eliminated the Canadian, Grant Lavallee, and later made a game attempt to deprive Tony Shacklady (England) of Pawar (India) was already assured of the the silver; Raghunath gold.

Mackay is the third New Zealander to win two wrestling medals at Commonwealth Games. The gold medal hero of the afternoon, David Aspin, also won a bronze in 1970, while John Armitt won the featherweight title at Auckland in 1950 and was third at Vancouver four years later. New Zealand’s share of the spoils was boosted from an unexpected source, by the Wellington lOOkg-plus competitor, Gary Knight, who was third behind Bill Benko (Canada) and Bishwanath Singh (India).

Significantly, Canada took most titles — five, compared with India’s four. Only Aspin was able to abate their superiority. England and Australia took three medals and Scotland two.

Even watch The encounter between Mackay and Shacklady provided one of the smallest points scores of the tournament, an indication of a good match. Eventually, Shacklady managed to slip away to win, 4-1. There was little evidence that Shacklady had been required to meet Bruce Akers (Australia), whom he beat, and Pawar, sustaining a marked points loss, in the previous session. He was able to parry all of Mackay’s thrusts, conceding his only point on a caution.

Mackay had quickly established his certainty of a medal when drawn in opposition to Lavallee in the morning. He was six points clear at the end of the opening round and cruised to a 12-5 decision.

Knight’s bronze medal success must be one of the most unusual of the whole Games festival. In his only appearances he lost by a fall in quick time to the winner of the super heavy-weight section, Bill Benko (Canada), and then was disqualified along with his opponent, William Robertson, of Scotland, in his other bout.

Ironically, Benko and the runner-up, Bishwanath Singh (India), also had their duel ended prematurely yesterday because of their passivity. However, they had their placings settled, just as it was Knight’s concession of eight penalty points, compared with Robertson’s B|, in the previous rounds that kept him ahead of the Scot.

In Knight’s defence, it must be said that he led Robertson on points at the disqualification. But Knight, in only his third season and perhaps equally well known in sport as a Wellington B Rugby forward, clearly lacked the skills of the Indians and Canadians. It did not take long to find

ithe minor medallists behind l Aspin. Only 47sec into the second round, the Indian, Satpal Singh, took a fall from Taras Hryb (Canada) after they had scored a point each. Aspin had beaten both a few hours earlier.

Certainly the most exciting encounter last evening was between Terry Paice (Canada) and Scotland’s eager challenIger, George Allan. The 90kg Canadian held sway until the last round when Allan caught up to 2-4, and then 3-4, on points, but ran out of time. Over all, Netra Pal (India) was second, ahead of Allan. Paice’s victory brought Canada and India level at four gold medals each and it was left to the 100 kg finalists, Claude Pilon (Canada) and Dadu Choughe, to decide the unofficial Commonwealth team title. Pilon, a bronze medallist at Edinburgh, exerted an immediate pressure which he never relaxed to win, 7-2.

But, understandably, the biggest acclamation of the night was reserved for Aspin as he stepped up to receive his gold medal from the Duke of Edinburgh.