American athletes for N.Z. Games

Press, Volume CXIV, Issue 33706, 2 December 1974, Page 18

American athletes for N.Z. Games

A team of 21 American athletes has been named for the -New Zealand Games next month. Although it does not include ; such world class performers as R. Wohlbuter, F. Shorter, S. Prefontaine and G. Woods, it is I still possible they might attend. The American Amateur Athletic Union has told the games organisers that some athletes are out of condition and others are at university unable to get time off. In these cases the next best athletes had been substituted. However, in the case of Wohlbuter, Shorter. Prefontaine and Woods, athletes for their events have not yet been named, and the Americans will make nominations as they become available. Wohlbuter holds the world record for 380 yards and Prefon-: taine is the only person this year to have run 10,000 metres faster than R. J. Tayler (Newi Zealand). Shorter won the marathon at Munich, but was invited! to run in the games 5000 and 10.000 metres, and Woods is the world record holder in the shot put.

BEATEN THE BEST The best known among the 211 | acceptances' is the 16-year-old I i Miss M. Decker, who has beaten the best in the world over 8001 metres. B. Jenner had the best decathlon total in the world this year, S. Colson was ranked third in the world in the javelin in July, and A. Robinson was ranked first in the long jump with 27ft 2jin. The 21 named so far are:— , Men—loo and 200 metres: S.| Riddick. A. Nutall. 400 metres: T. Erickson. 1500 metres: A. Waldrop 400 metres hurdles: J. King, J. Bolding. Long jump: A. Robinson-. Decathlon: B. Jenner, J. Bennett. Discus: R. Drescher. Hammer: T. Hili. Javelin: S. Colson. 3000 metres steeplechase: D.i Brown. Women.—loo and 200 metres:!

F. Sichting, R. Brown. 400 metres: D. Sapenter. 800 metres: M.i Decker or R. Campbell. 1500 and, 3000 metres: J. Brown. Long! jump: M. Watson. High jump: J. Huntley. 100 metres hurdles: P. Johnson. KENYAN TEAM C. Asati. winner of the 400 j metres gold medal at the Com-' monwealth Games, and J. Kipkurgat and M Boit. first and sec-

ond in the 800 metres, head a Kenyan team of seven. The others are:— Men.—J. Ngeno, VV. Koskei. F. Kimaiyo. Women.—S. Chebichl. Further urgent telegrams were sent by the organisers to the East and West German swimming authorities at the week-end j after they had failed to reply to telegrams sent to days ago.