Young Canterbury athletes showing great potential

Press, Volume CXV, Issue 33804, 29 March 1975, Page 4

Young Canterbury athletes showing great potential

(Specially written for "The Press’ by

ANDREW TWEEDIE)

The future of Canterbury athletics is very bright if results gained by young competitors at the New Zealand colts’ and junior women’s championships at Wellington are a reliable indication.

The performances of the 4 x 100 metres relay teams were certainly most impressive. The girls’ team of Joy Prebble, Lynn McLennan. Kathleen Burt and Josephine Steele set a New Zealand record of 48.9 sec and the winning time of 43.35ec, set by the colts’ team of Ron Gibson, Peter Hunt, David Wilson and Andy von Biel, was also a new national mark.

Some of these sprinters have the potential to win

New Zealand senior titles if they contin to progress at the rate they did this season. Kathleen Burt (Technical) with a best time of 12.4 sec for the 100 metres, a second placing at the junior womens’ nationals and a finalist at the senior nationals, seems to have the most promise. Josephine Steele (Avon) also had a successful season and in her stronger event, the 200 metres, she was third at Wellington.

Among the colts, three stand out — von Biel (High School), Hunt and Wilson (both Ashburton). The rivalry started this year among them has helped their performances considerably and this should further develop next season. Von Biel displayed a fine race temperament when he won the 100 metres at the junior nat-

ionals in a strong field. He has a best performance of 10.9 sec (w.a.) over the distance.

Wilson had his best results in the 200 metres in which he has a best time of 22.45ec. He finished second in this event at the colts’ nationals. He has shown much improvement this season but his true potential is possibly in the 400 metres.

Hunt., has run consistently in the short sprint and highlighted his season with a second in the 100 metres and third 1 in the 200 metres at Wellington.

A 400 metres : runner who showed flashes of brilliance was Richard Goidstone (Avon). He had one outstanding run of 48.8 sec but never achieved that level of performance again.

Among the middle dis-

tance runners, the most promising appears to be Michael Molloy (Avon). He ran into second place in the 800 metres at. the colts nationals and recorded his personal best of Imin 57.65ec. In so doing, he showed undoubted ability and is obviously learning to appreciate the tactical side of his events.

One of the unexpected successes in the Canterbury' team was K. Foster (Geraldine). Only the fourth seeded Canterbury runner in the 1500 metres, he ran most aggressively to obtain third place in his first run for the province and showed a maturity beyond his years.

In the junior women’s events Wendy Mollison (New Brighton), with a long flowing stride, gained a creditable second equal in the 1500 metres, after having also been a finalist in the 800 metres. There is depth in these events in the province with Maureen O’Reilly (New Brighton), Sally Richards (Avon), Wendy Stowell (New Brighton) and Ruth Dippie (Temuka) all making an impression during the season.

For both colts and junior women, competition in the jumping events has been keen all season. This is especially so in the high jump where Terry Lomax (High School), with a best performance of 2.0 metres and Sheryl Rudd (Toe H), with a best of 1.67 metres, have been the outstanding performers. Both have recently been selected for the New Zealand Under 23 team which is to tour Australia next month. Canterbury’s fine record in the women’s hurdles appears as if it will be continued by Joy Prebble (New Brighton). In a blanket finish, she was placed second in the 100 metres hurdles at Wellington. The winner set a New 'Zealand record of 14.975ec and the first three place-getters betered the old mark in a remarkable race.

It is in the throwing events that the talent is not so readily obvious. Among the colts, Noel Lewis (Geraldine) is a promising shot and discus thrower while John Cairns (High School) impresses as a thrower in the latter event.

Peter Dyer (Cashmere) won the New Zealand junior javelin title and was placed in the jumping events at both junior and colts nationals. He impresses as a fine all round athlete who has the builc and ability to make an outstanding decathlete. In the womens ranks. Jan Bishop (Technical) has achieved the best results and gained second place in the javelin. She has a best throw of 36.78 metres in this event.