Games interest wide

Press, 18 September 1976, Page 1

Games interest wide

By

RON PALENSKI,

NZPA Staff Correspondent

London Many top overseas athletes, including several Olympic gold medallists and world record-holders, want to compete in next January’s New Zealand Games in Christchurch, according to John Walker. He said in London yesterday that if the organisers invited all the athletes that have told him they want to go, the success of the Games would be assured. “But a lot of athletes haven’t received invita-

tions from their national organisations and time is running out,” he said. One example is the British middle-distance runner,. Brendan Foster, the Olympic 10,000 metres bronze medallist and holder of two world records. Foster told the NZPA yesterday he would like to run at the New Zealand Games but had not been invited, saying the fault was with either the Games organisers in Christchurch • or the British Amateur Athletic Board, through which any mvitation would be issued. “It’s getting late in the year,” Foster said, “and

I need to know so I can plan training for track events or for crosscountry.” “A lot of the athletes who were at the Games last year were impressed and have spread the word,” Walker said, “with the result that a lot more are wanting to go this time.” A spokesman for the British board said yesterday that no invitations for the Games had been received from Christchurch. Inquiries in Christchurch last evening revealed that Britain was one of the nations sent invitations about three months ago.