N.Z. runners do well in Spain

Press, Volume CXV, Issue 33783, 4 March 1975, Page 28

N.Z. runners do well in Spain

(N.Z.P A. Staff Correspondent

LONDON.

New Zealanders filled leading places at the Spanish cross-country championships in Seville.

Heather Thomson, of Auckland, won the women’s event, and John Dixon, of Nelson, finished second in the men’s race with the star middle-distance runner, John Walker, of Auckland, behind him in third position.

The team manager, Mr John Smart, of Christchurch, said in a telephone interview that the events were run in muddy conditions on the local' racecourse.

“It has been raining very hard here and the course was very muddy — it was almost up to their ankles,” Mr Smart said. “1 should think everyone will be very well satisfied with what they did considering the conditions. Parts of the course were like heavy sand, and there was no easy going.” The 12.97-kilometre men’s event was won by the defending champion, Mario Haro.

“He seemed to float across the surface,” said Mr Smart. Haro won by at least t5O metres, and he looks in peak form for the world championships in Rabat, Morocco. At the last world championships Haro finished second after losing a great duel with Pekka Paivarinta (Finland) in an event in which John Dixon’s younger brother, Rod, came third.

John Dixon’s effort in finishing second at Selville — well clear of Walker — is further proof of his own, often unrecognised, talents in a career which appears to have been overshadowed by the successes of the brother he coaches.

Eighty-three runners fr.'m 126 entrants finisned the men’s race, and the seven New Zealanders running finished in the top 16. David Sirl (Auckland) was fifth, John Sheddan (Canterbury) eighth, Euan Robertson (Otago) ninth, Brian Rose (Wellington) twelfth, and Kevin Ryan (Auckland) sixteenth.

In the 4.26-kilometre women’s race, there were 40 finishers from 52 entries. Miss Thomson beat Carman Balero (Spain), for the title, and New Zealanders filled the next three olaces. with Alison Deed (Auckland) third, Anne Garrett (Auckland) fourth, and Lorraine Moller (Waikato) fifth. Diane Zorne (Napier) was eleventh.

Before the events, Mr Smart emphasised that the Spanish championships were being treated very much as a “shake-down” run for a team which was still settling in after the trip from New Zealand.

The world championships take place on March 16, and the New Zealand men’s team is to be strengthened for them by Dick Quax and Jack Foster.