Olympic door not yet shut

Press, Volume CXVI, Issue 34105, 18 March 1976, Page 32

Olympic door not yet shut

(By

ROD DEW)

The door was not yet shut on athletes who missed tiie official list of nominations for the Montreal Olympic Carnes, the convener of the New Zealand selection panel (Mr Barry Hunt, of Ashburton) said yesterday.

“If somebody betters an Olympic standard then we will certainly take a look at them," he said. “But if athletes are going to do anything, they only have until the end of this month.” The New Zealand Amatuer Athletic Association does not have to hand over its list of nominations to the New Zealand Olympic and Commonwealth Games Association until April 2, and any outstanding performances would be considered up to this time. “Any performances after this time would have to be pretty exceptional,” Mr Hunt said.

Mr Hunt said he was aware that a number of athletes were going to Australia to compete in the championships there this week-end and indicated that he would be watching the results with a keen interest. He also expected other athletes to try and record performances in the next two weeks which would bring them into consideration.

Confirmation Official confirmation of the pole vaulting performances of Peter Tracy (Waikato), who is in the United States on an athletic scholarship, had also yet to be received. Tracy has been credited with ah indoor pole vault of 5.20 metres. Mr Hunt expects further performances of note from New Zealand athletes competing in the United States. Since the team of 14 nominations was announced on

Tuesday evening, Mr Hunt has received no criticism. “Everybody must be reasonably ’happy,” he said. He feel’s very satisfied with the size and quality of the team

“In some ways, it has been a disappointing season. The weather has not been good and a lot of athletes have suffered from injury. Some of these might have been in the team had they not been injured. Because of this, w r e did fairly well to get such a good selection.’'

Rod Dixon (Wellington), in Christchurch to help promote Ivan Agnew’s book, “Kiwis Can Fly,” yesterday said he had hoped the selectors would have nominated him for the 1500 metres — the event in which he won the bronze medal at the Munich Olympics four years ago. Dixon was named only for the 5000 metres.

Although it was impossible to attempt the double, there was a possibility that he might want to return to the 1500 metres at a late stage in preference to the 5000 metres, he said, indicating that he would like to keep his options open as long as possible. Mr Hunt expressed some surprise when told of this. “On last season’s form, he is a hot favourite to win the gold medal in the 5000 metres. If anything, he must have a better chance of winning this than even John Walker has in the 1500 metres.” He said that if Dixon wanted any changes lie would have to make official contact with the selectors. They would then be prepared to discuss the matter.