Anderson's games bid upset by Rugby injury

Press, Volume CXIV, Issue 33672, 23 October 1974, Page 12

Anderson's games bid upset by Rugby injury

(By

R. O. DEW)

It is not easy to pursue careers at top level in two sports and nobody is more aware of this than the Commonwealth Games sprinter. Grant Anderson (Old Boys). He suffered badly torn ligaments in his left knee while playing Rugby for the Shirley senior side earlier in the winter and this has jeopardised his chances of gaining selection for the New Zealand Games.

Anderson has only been able to train for the last month and his coach, Mr P. Davies, has been forced to postpone a switch of emphasis from 200 metres flat to the 400 metres hurdles. Mr Davies is convinced that Anderson has the ability to

recover his best form in time for the games over this distance. However, he feels' that the future lies more with the 400 metres hurdles. “If his knee is all right, we will probably try the 400 metres hurdles after Christmas. I think Grant could be an international class hurdler in the 400 metres. He has got good hurdling style and he also has the speed between the hurdles. He can run a very good 400 metres flat. In fact, we have never really tested his potential over this distance,” Mr Davies said. Surprisingly, Anderson was not among the list of “certainties” for the games which was announced by the national convenor of selectors (Mr B. S. Hunt, of Ashburton) last week-end. However, only one athlete, Bevan Smith (Wellington), has been named for the 200 metres and nobody has yet been chosen for the 100 metres. The selectors clearly

intend to add further sprintters to the team and will be replying on performances up to Christmas to guide them. Anderson, if he can get somewhere near his best times in the weeks remaining, can be confident of inclusion. However, nis chief emphasis this season might be on winning selection for the New Zealand under 23 team to tour Australia at the end of the season.

Eventually, Anderson will probably have to chose between athletics and Rugby —a decision which will not be easy to reach. In the winter just ended he showed considerable ability as a Rugby wing for both Shirley and the Canterbury senior representative team. His future appears equally bright in both sports.