Walker outclasses rivals

Press, Volume CXV, Issue 34037, 29 December 1975, Page 16

Walker outclasses rivals

The world mile recordholder, John Walker, of Auckland, outclassed a strong field to win an invitation 800 metres race at Queen Elizabeth II Park on Saturday.

His time of Imin 47sec bettered the Canterbury record by more than a second — a quite remarkable performance considering it was his first serious competitive run of the New Zealand season. It was also only o.6sec outside the guideline standard set by the New Zealand selectors for the Montreal Olympic Games. But if this was a great effort by the man who holds most of New Zealand’s Olympic gold medal hopes, some of his thunder was stolen later by an equally impressive performance by the visiting Otago athlete, Euan Robertson, in the 3000 metres steeplechase.

Robertson won a magnificent battle with the Canterbury steeplechase champion, Martin Couldwell (University-Shirley), in the New Zealand resident record time cf Bmin 32.8 sec. This lopped exactly lOsec off the record he had set in the New Zealand Games earlier this year and immediately put him in the front line for Olympic selection.

His time was only O.Ssec outside the official Olympic qualifying standard. “I am very pleased to have run so well at this stage of the season. I was a little disappointed to learn that I had missed the qualifying time by such a small margin but I am sure I can go, a lot faster with the right competition,” he said afterwards.

Some measure of the quality of Robertson’s run can be gained by comparing it with the Otago record of Bmin 41.1 sec, held by the former Olympic Games steeplechaser, Peter Welsh. Unfortunately. Robertson will still have no claim on this because his time was not set in Otago. COULDWELL'S RECORD Although beaten, Couldwell, too. had much to be pleased about. His time of Bmin 40.2 sec broke his own Canterbury record by 10.2 sec and suggested that he will also be an Olympic contender. Robertson and Couldwell now hold the first two rankings in New Zealand for the steeplechase. well ahead of any of their rivals. In terms of what has already been accomplished in New Zealand this season, the invitation 800 metres was something of a bombshell. Before this, the Olympic medallist, Rodney Dixon, of Nelson, headed the national rankings for tile distance with a time of Imin 50.3 sec. On Saturday, six athletes bettered this performance, pushing Dixon almost right off the ranking list. It was a splendid race, the best by far since the New Zealand Games nearly a year ago and if some of the country’s finest middle distance runners were made to look rather secondrate, it was only because of the superb showing of Walker. He dominated the race from start to finish. Walker had the advantage of the inside lane at the start and he made the most of It. He had the field covered after 200 metres and when the runners broke lanes he led from Trevor Cochrane, the Canterbury champion, and Bruce Hunter, the national champion. Walker took the bell in 53.25ec with Cochrane, Hunter, Andrew Stark, a young Christchurch schoolboy of great promise, and the national 1500 and 5000 metres champion, Stuart Melville, of Dunedin, all bunched behind. COCHRANE FADES The field stayed in contact with the tall Aucklander down the back straight but on the bend he broke free and entered the finishing strip a metre clear of his nearest challenger. Cochrane tried to use his considerable sprinting ability to close the gap and had partial success. But he was a spent force. Walker strode away effortlessly

to win bv a very comfortable margin. Cochrane, watching his rival accelerate away, seemed to dispair and his style and pace dropped away. Hunter sprinted past to gain second place in an excellent Imin 48.9 sec and Melville, who represented New Zealand at the last Commonwealth Games as an 800 metres runner, showed he still had plenty of speed by snatching third place in Imin 49.55ec —just O.lsec outside his previous best.

Cochrane, suffering the first defeat of his career over 800 metres was fourth but in a personal best time of Imin 49.65ec. Brian Rhodes (University-Shir-ley) was fifth in Imin 49.8 sec and the New Zealand 400 metres hurdles champion, Rendell McIntosh (High School Old Boys), sixth in another personal best of Imin 50.1 sec. Stark finished next in Imin 50.8 sec, by far his best. It is perhaps worth noting that the last finisher, Warren Sheddan (Olympic), recorded Imin 51.8 sec—a time which would have been good enough to win the Canterbury championship last season.

Afterwards, Walker was very pleased with his performance, which far exceeded even his own expectations. “I thought that I would may be run between imin 50.8 sec and Imin 51sec. I couldn’t be more pleased—especially with (Filbert) Bayi coming.” Four days before. Walker had been in bed with influenza He had intended making' his first competitive outing over 800 metres at Waimate on Boxing Day, but a disruption to aircraft schedules prevented this. AWARD TO LOMAX Yet another exceptional performance on Saturday was by the High School Old Boys athlete. Terry Lomax. He cleared 2.02 metres to equal the Canterbury senior record held by the New Zealand champion, Peter Crampton (Cashmere). It was his first competitive appearance of the season in the high jump. A knee injury had previously restricted him to running events. Lomax, who is only 17 and still attending Christchurch Boys’ High School, cleared the 2.02 metres—the best in New Zealand this season—on his third attempt. A bid to jump 2.05 metres failed.

Later, competing in the junior high jump. Lomax had to be content with a best leap of 1.80 metres and third place behind Kieran McKee (Toe H) and Steve Machin (North Otago). McKee cleared 1.94 metres, slightly below his previous best this season.

Kay Hawkins (Wellington) left no doubts that she would be a major threat to Canterbury’s Joanna Beckett when she convincingly won the women’s 400 metres In the good time of 55.45ec. Miss Beckett, resting to give an achlUes tendon injury a chance to heal properly previously headed the New Zealand rankings with her time of 55.55ec. Miss Hawkins’s run on Saturday has pushed her back to second.

Miss Hawkins also showed a good turn of sprinting speed by finishing a close second to Lesley Trimble (Toe H) in the women’s 100 metres. Both runners were credited with a time of 12.1 sec. which puts them fourth equal on the national ranking list for the event Peter Harnett (Nelson) narrowly won the Invitation 5000 metres after an enthralling struggle with Roger Sharpe (New Brighton) and G. Merchant (University-Shlrley). Harnett won the event in 14min 36see, Sharpe was a second slower, and Merchant third in 14min 38.4 sec.

The Canterbury sprint champion Mark Sutherland (University). won the senior 100 metres in the smart time of 10.9 sec. But hard on his heels was Jeff Bailey (Old Boys), who appears to be returning to top form after several seasons of unspectacular sprinting. Bailey also won the 200 metres in 22.35ec from Andrew Tweedie (Old Boys).

Abbreviations used in the following results are: T., Technical; H.S., High School Old Boys; Ash., Ashburton; Ow„ Owairaka; Mo., Mornington; W.S., Western Suburbs; C., Caversham; Av., Avon; N.B New Brighton; U/S, Univer-sity-Shirley; Ham., Hamilton; Au., Auckland; 0., Otago; Ca., Cashmere; T.H., Toe H; W„ Wellington; Ger., Geraldine; N. 0.. North Otago; Nel., Nelson; S.A., South Australia; G., Gore; Or., Oriki; Sy., Sydney; Ol„ Olympic; L., Leith. MEN Senior 100 m.—M. Sutherland (U/S), 10.9 1; J. Bailey (H.S.). 11.0, 2; A. Tweedie (H.S.), 11.1. 3. Section H: R. Armitage (Ca.), 11.2, 1; D. Park (U/S). 11.3. 2; N. Chapman (H.S.), 11.4, 3. 200 m—J. Bailey (H.S.), 22.3 1; A. Tweedie (H.S.), 22.4, 2; P. Wilson (Ash.), 22.4, 3. B grade: B. Ford (T.), 22.5. 1; F. Lawrence (T.), 22.9, 2; b. Park (U/S), 400 m.—E. Hamilton (U/S). 51.2, 1; B. Milne (U/S). 52.1, 2; R. Lindsay (U/S), 52.1, 3. Invitation 800 m.—J. Walker (Au.). 1:47.0. 1; B. Hunter (U/S.), 1:48.9, 2; S. Melville (O.), 1:49.5, 3. 800 m.—B Pawley (Mo.), 1:55.3, 1; A. Mofr (Or.), 1:57.1, 2; K. Rowland (C.). 1:57.5, 3. 1500 m.—-J. Bagley (Mo.), 3:55.4, 1; M. Aiken (W.S.), 3:55.4, 2; R. Dowland (C.). 1.57.5, 3. 5000 m invitation.—P Harnett (Nel.), 14:36. 1; R. Sharpe (N. 8. 14:37, 2; G. Merchant (U/S.), 14:38.4. 3.

110 m hurdles.—M. Mene (T.), 15.08. 1; M. Williams (H.S.). 16.05, 2; M. Roach (Ash.), 16.06, 3. 3000 m steeplechase.—E. Robertson (0.1. 8:32.8, 1; M. Couldwell (U/S.), 8:4.2. 2; M. Aiken (Sy.), 9'39 6 3 10km road walk. —G. Scatter (H.S.), 46:21.7. 1; I. Moreton (01.), 58:6.0, 2. Discus. —M. Mene (T.), 41.58. 1; M. Leech (T.). 37.08, 2; B. Harland (T.), 36.92, 3. Long jump.—M. Mene (T.), 6.79. 1: W. Jowett (U/S), 6.20, 2; R. Knagga (T.). 6.19, 3. Hammer throw.—B. Harland

(T.), 56.52, 1; D. Leech (U/S.), 43.46. 2. High jump.—T. Lomax (H.S.), 2.02, 1; M. Williams (H.S.), 1.75, 2; R. Knaggs (T.), 1.70, 3. 4 x 100 m relay.—Technical, 43.7, 1; H. 5.0.8., 43.8. 2. Junior 200 m.—T. Phiskie (H.S.), 23.6, 1; N. Macale (Ger.), 24.4, 2. 800 m.—R. Barnes (S.A.), 1:56.8, 1; C. McKinlay (G.), 1:57.4, 2; C. Muir (U/S.), 1:58.4, 3. 2000 m.—M. Griggs (T.), 5:5.4. 1; R. Marsh (T.), 6:6.4, 2. 2000 m steeplechase—R. Williamson (Au.), 6:8.8, 1; S. Parsons (N. 8. 6:12.4, 2; J. O’Brien (N. 8. 6:2.4, 3. Long jump.—T. Phiskie (H.S.), 6.36, 1; C. Manson (T.H,); 6.13, 2. Hammer throw.— M. Leech (T.). 41.32, 1. Discus.—M. Leech (T.), 41.38, I. High jump.— K. McKee (T.H.), 1.94, 1; S. Machin (N. 0. 1.85, 2; T. Lomax (H.S.), 1.80, 3. Under 18 200 m.—R. Goldstone (Av.), 22.8, 1; R. Gibson (T.H.), 23.8, 2; C. Manson (T.H.), 23.9. 3. 800 m.—R. Goldstone (Av.), 1:59.4, 1; W. Taylor (Av.). 2:2, 2; A. Douglas (N. 8. 2:3.4, 3. High jump.—S. Nyhoff (L.), 1.75, 1; G. Sherwood (Av.). 1.66, 2. Discus.—D. Bradley (Ash.). 31.72, 1. 4 x 100 m relay.—Technical, 47.7, 1; New Brighton, 49.2, 2; Avon, 50.6, 3. WOMEN Senior 100 m.—L. Trimble (T.H.), 12.1, 1; K. Hawkins (W.), 12.1, 2; B. Petersen (T.), 12.1, 3. 400 m.—K. Hawkins (W.), 55.4. 1; J. Steele (Av.k 59., 2; J. EtweU (Av.), 66.5, 3. 1500 m.—W. Mollison (Av.), 4:43.4, 1; J. Etwell (Ow.), 4:57.5, 2; M. O’Reilly (N.Z.), 5:3.8, 2. Shot put.—V. Young (T.), 14.57, 1; T. Yaxley (Mo.), 9.85, 2; P. Flynn (T.), 9.49, 3. Long jump.—l. Bishop (T.), 4.05, 1. Javelin.—B. Green (T.), 36.50, 1; D. Otto (Ham.), 35.32, 2; P. Flynn (T.), 28.86, 3. Veteran: I. Bishop (T.), 17.38, 1. Discus.—V. Young (T.), 44.54, 1; D. Otto (Ham.), 34.08, 2: J. Bishop (T.), 29.32, 3. Under 18 100 m—K. Burt (T.), 12.6. 1; R. Smith (Ash.), 13.0, 2; K. Birdllng (T.H.), 13.1, 3. 400 m—R. Ambler (N. 0. 62.7, 1; J. Heseltine (Av.), 64.4, 2. Shot put.—J. Bishop (T.), 1.31, 1; M. Avia (N. 8. 9.92, 2; S. Carter (T.). 8.67, 3. Long jump.—R. Ambler (Ot.), 5.45. 1; A. Hermans (Av.), 5.11, 2; K. Burt (T.), 5.08, 3. Javelin.—J. Bishop (T.), 36.42, 1. 4 x 100 m relay—Avon, 51.0, 1.