Young athletes win first-day awards

Press, 18 October 1976, Page 22

Young athletes win first-day awards

Two young athletes of unusual promise, Evan Peterson (Technical) and Jane Eddington (St Margaret’s College), started on a high note with personal best performances in the opening inter-club meeting of the track and field season at Queen Elizabeth II Park on Saturday.

Peterson, a younger brother of the New Zealand representative sprinter, Bev Peterson, won the boys’ under 18 long jump with a fine leap of 6.29 metres. Although still a schoolgirl, Miss Eddington won the women’s senior high jump, clearing 1.63 m. Annette Hermans (Technical), who was favoured to win, cleared 1.55 m and had to be satisfied with second place. Peterson and Miss Eddington were later named by the Canterbury selectors as the Farmers “Athletes of the Week.”

The official opening of the season was combined for the first time with the annual crosscountry relays and, if the numbers of athletes competing was any indication, the experiment was a success. Nevertheless, the atmosphere was much more informal than for a normal interclub opening, and as a spectacle the meeting was a little disappointing. However, there were still some excellent performances. Andrew Stark (University-Shlrley) stole the limelight in the 4 x 1600 relay running the fastest time of 4min 14sec. This set his team off to a great start and it was never headed.

With the Canterbury 1500 m champion, Brian Rhodes, running the last leg for University, it was difficult to see the team being overtaken. Rhodes ran the distance very easily in what he later described as “a training run” in 4min 27sec, but it was enough to keep him well clear of any opposition. The University

team, which also included Daniel Reese and Gerry Merchant competed the race in ivmin 44.8 sec. Not surprisingly, it was generally track athletes who dominated the A grade relays. High School Old Boys made good use of their considerable sprinting depth to take first and secont eaces in the 4 x 100 m relay, and ter won the medley relay as well.

Andy von Biel, Grant Anderson, Murray Chapman, and Jeff Bailey recorded the good time of 44.4 sec in winning the sprint relay for Old Boys. The club’s B team finished second Msec behind.

In the medley relay, Old Boys were completely dominant. The Commonwealth Games sprinter, Anderson, and the former New Zealand junior sprint champion, von Biel, ran the two 200 m legs in impressive style. Bailey, run-ner-up In the last national 400 m final, was out on his own In the 400 m leg, and the New Zealand 400 m hurdles champion, David Dong, showed he was not lacking in stamina by running a very strong final 800 m. The team completed the relay in 3mln 37.75ec, 14.3 sec ahead of the second team, New Brighton. Earlier. Anderson had provided one of the brighter moments when he ran in the under 16 4 x 100 m relay clad in his track suit. The race was actually under way when the Old Boys club realised that there was no third runner for their B team. Anderson, who happened to be standing on the side of the track, -was dispatched to fill in the vacancy.

He ran the third leg and gained considerable ground for the team only to find when he arrived at the baton changing area that there was no further runner either. He continued on to finish third behind the Avon and Old Boys A teams. However, his team was, not surprisingly, disqualified. The New Zealand decathlon champion, Mene Mene (Technical), started the season well with victories in both the senior 60m sprint and the shot. In the latter event he recorded 13.06 m. However, his winning time of 7.lsec in the 60m was narrowly bettered by von Biel, who won the junior event in 7sec. After spending much of last season under the handicap of a knee injury, Bev Peterson (Technical) showed she was well on the way to regaining her old form with a win in the women’s 60m in 7.Bsec, from her clubmate, Joanna Burr (nee Beckett). Unfortunately, Susan Burnside (Technical) was left at the start because of a misunderstanding. She later ran with the junior boys and recorded the fastest

time of the day for « woman, 7 ‘ 7 Kelran McKee (Toe H) displayed excellent early season form, beating the pole volt specialist, Mike Ritchie (Toe H). with a leap of 1.93 m in the senior high jump. Vai Young (Technical) was untroubled to win the women’s shot with a toss of 13.14 m. This left her well clear of the second place getter, the national javelin champion, Jan Bishop (Technical), who recorded 11.06 m. The season was officially opened by the Deputy Mayor of Christchurch (Cr P. J. Skellerup). Abbreviations used in the following results are: Avon (A.), Cashmere (Cash.), Christ’s College (C.C.). High School Old Boys (H. 5.0.8. St Margaret’s (StM.), Shirley Boys’ High (5.8. H. St Bede’s (St B.), St Andrew’s <St A.), Technical (T.). Toe H (T.H.), United (U.). WOMEN Senior 60m.—Section 1: B. Peterson (T.), 7.8, 1; J. Burr (T.), 8.0, 2; J. Steele (Hastings), 8.1, 3. Section 2: A. Hermans (T.), 8.1, 1; J. McKee (T.H.), 8.3, 2; R. Burn (St. M.), 8.4, 3. Shot.—V. Young (T.l, 13.14, 1; J. Bishop (T.), 11.06, 2; P. Flynn (T.), 10.09, 3. High jump.—J. Eddington (St.M.), 1.63, 1: A. Hermans (T.), 1,55/2; S. Goodman (T.H.), 1.50, 3. 4 x 100 m relay.—Technical, 50.8, 1; Avon, 51.6, 2; Toe H, 53.0, 3. 3 x 800 m relay.—Avon, 7:11.6, 1; University-Shlrley, 7:14.6, 2; New Brighton, 8:10, 3. Medley relay.—Avon, 1:59.1, 1; Avon, 2:4.1, 2; Toe H, 2:5.7. 3. Under 16 Discus.—S. Bishop (T.), 26.36, 1; C. Scott (St.M.). 26.10, 2; H. McFarlane (T.H.), 25.14, 3. Long jump.—P. Townsend (T.), 5.14, 1; N. Bell (T.), 5.10, 2; D. Spiers (T.H.), 4.66, 3. 4 x iOOrn relay.—New Brighton A, 52.9, 1; Avon, 54.9 2; Toe H, 57.3, 3. 4 x 800 m relay.—New Brighton A, 9:55.8, 1; New Brighton B, 10.00, 2; Toe H, 10,17, 3. MEN Senior 60m.—M. Mene (T.) 7.1. 1; A. Tweedie (H. 5.0.8. 7.2, 2; R. Knaggs <T.), 7.3, 3. High jump.—K. McKee (T.H.), 1.93, 1; M. Ritchie (T.H.), 1.85, 2 : P. McNab (T.), 1.80, 3. Shot.—M. Mene (T.j, 13.06, 1; P. McNab (T.), 12.56, 2; M. Leech (T.), 12.05, 3. 4 x 100 m relay.—A grade: High School Old Boys A, 44.4, 1; High School Old Boys B, 45.8, 2; Technical, 48.0, 3. B grade: UniversltyShirley A, 47.6, 1; UniversityShirley B, 51.9, 2; New Brighton, 52.4 3.

4 x 1600 m relay.—A grade: University-Shlrley A, 17:44.8. 1; United, 18:36.4, 2; UnlversityShtriev B, 18:41.8, 3 B grade: Methodist, 19:43.6, 1; Toe IT 19:46, 2; Presbyterian, 19:53.8, 3. Veteran: University-Shlrley, 19.44, 1; Olympic, 19.58, 2; New Brighton A, 22:26, 3. Medley relay.—High School Old Boys, 3:37.7, 1; New Brighton, 3:52, 2; United, 3:53.8, 3. Junior 60m.—A. von Biel (H. 5.0.8. 7.0, 1; Phiskie (H. 5.0.8. 7.3, 2; Stanlforth (T.), 7.4, 3. Long jump.—C. Manson (T.H.), 6.33, 1; T. Phiskie (H. 5.0.8. 6.07, 2. Discus.—M. Leech (T.), 38.36, I; K. McKee <T.H.), 32.72, 2; M. Wilson (U.), 20.14, 3. 4 x 1200 m relay.—New Brighton, 13:25, 1; Avon, 2; United, 3. Medlev relay.—Avon, 3:34.2, 1; Technical, 3:49.5 2; Shirley Boys High, 3:52.2, 3. Under 18 60m.—-Section 1: S. Mackey (St.B.), 7.2, 1; J. Leoto iC.C.), 7.4, 2; N. Peters (St.B.), 7.6, 3. Section 2: E. Peterson (T.), 7.2, 1; C. Manson (T.H.), 7.4, 2; Stringer (S.B.H) 7.6, 3. Discus.—J. Cairns (Cash.), 43.26, 1; B. Washbourne (T.), 34.92, 2; C. Johnson (A.), 34.30, 3. Long jump.—E. Peterson <T.I, 6, 29, 1; S. McKee (T.H.). 5.91, 2; J. Leota (C.C.), 5.85, 3. 4 x 100 m relay.—Avon, 44.8, 1; St. Bedes, 45.6, 2; Toe H, 46.4, 3.

Under 16 4 x 100 m relay.—Avon, 49.9, 1; High School Old Boys, 50.3, 2; United, 57.3, 3. 4 x 1200 m relay.—Toe H, 14.45.6, 1; New Brighton A, 15:11.8, 2; New Brighton B, 16:08, 3.