‘THIS TIME I WILL BE ALL OUT Mene aiming for eighth title and Games place

Press, 22 February 1978, Page 20

‘THIS TIME I WILL BE ALL OUT Mene aiming for eighth title and Games place

If the long standing New Zealand decathlon champion, Mene Mene (Technical), has not been as prominent in domestic track and field competition as he has in previous years, this should not be taken as an indication that his reign as the country’s leading all-rounder is nearing its end. The popular 31-year-old has resisted the temptation for maximum effort early in the season in the hope that his performances will be at a peak when he wants them to be. “My approach has been fairly low key this summer,” he said. “But now I think I am ready.” Mene intends to make an all-out assault on the

qualifying standard of 7000 points for Commonwealth Games selection in the Canterbury decathlon championship at Queen Elizabeth IT Park on Saturday and Sunday. And if conditions are suitable, he is satisfied that he has the ability to exceed this total. “If I don’t break the standard, I am sure I will be fairly close,” he said shortly after winning the Canterbury shot title last Sunday. Mene achieved 13.14 m with his winning throw in the shot to defeat the New Zealand junior hammer champion, Matt Leech (Technical), by a comfortable margin.

However, it was not so much his success in this that has increased his

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ROD DEW

confidence for the decathlon but rather his improved form in the pole vault. He has been struggling a little with a back problem and an old knee injury has been restricting his activities. But last Sunday he was back to his test pole vaulting form with a height of 3.60 m. It was the signal for much rejoicing in the Mene camp. This was not good enough to give him a placing in the championship, but a repeat performance in the decathlon w’ould provide a very w’orth while total of points. The qualifying total of 7000 points for the Ed-

monton Games is not an awesome one for Mene. He has scored more than this on a number of occasions. His Canterbury record, set nearly three years ago, stands at- 7017 points and he has an even better performance of 7038 points recorded in winning his fifth New Zealand title in 1976. Unfortunately, a wind-assisted long jump prevented this being recognised as a record. Mene is not new to international competition, although he has not had a grea f deal of opportunity to test himself in recent years. He competed with distinction in the Christchurch Commonwealth Games four years ago and

is confident that he can do even better if he is chosen for Edmonton. “I am feeling quite good now’,” the Samoan-born New Zealander said. “I’ve got no injury problems and everything seems to be going smoothly.” Mene will be attempting to win his eighth successive Canterbury decathlon championship next weekend and, in spite of his defeat by his club-mate, Kevin Hickman, earlier this season, is favoured to extend this remarkable record. Hickman, no doubt, has other ideas. He is a very capable performer with the ability to win the title. Another prominent performer will be Jim Gleeson (Technical), who has

been steadily improving his performance since arriving in New Zealand from Australia more than two years ago. But Mene remains the man to beat. His worst event, as always, seems certain to be the 1500 m. A dreadful performance in this cost him his victory in the decathlon earlier in the season. He is determined that this will not happen again. At the very least, he wants to better smin. At any rate, the time for restrained activity is over for Mene. ‘This time I will be all out.”