Scatter gets top track award

Press, 27 May 1978, Page 56

Scatter gets top track award

By

ROD DEW

Graham Seatter (below); who will represent New Zealand in the 30km road walk at the Edmonton Commonwealth Games in August, has been awarded the R. H. Harbison Memorial Trophy, the most important honour in Canterbury athletics. He is the first walker to receive the award, w'hich is made to the senior Canterbury athlete considered by the selectors to be the outstanding performer of the year. Factors such as sportsmanship and club loyalty as well as performance are taken into account. Seatter was the unanimous choice of the selectors, said the president of the Canterbury Athletic Centre, (Mr Ron Havill) when announcing the award last evening. The E. E. Mayes Memorial Trophy for the most outstanding junior (under-19) athlete went to the brilliant young steeplechaser, Peter Renner, who is rated a fine

prospect for the 1980 Moscow Olympic Games. Renner, whose selection was also unanimous, recorded one of the fastest times in the world by an 18-year-old when he finished second to the Commonwealth Games representative, Martin Couldwell, in a special 3000 m steeplechase trials at Queen Elizabeth II Park at the end of last season. His time of Bmin 46.5 s was 5.3 s better than the New Zealand junior record he set earlier in the season and only 1.5 s outside the world record for an 18-year-old, held by the Polish Olympic athlete, Bronislaw Malinowsli. During the season, Renner, who will still be a junior next season, won the New Zealand junior 2000 m steeplechase title, the New Zealand junior road-running title, and the New Zealand junior cross-country title. In open competition, he is ranked among the top four senior steeplechasers in New

Zealand. He is a member of the New Brighton club. Seatter, who competes for the High School Old Boys club, produced a series of world-class performances last summer which earned him his first New Zealand Games singlet. In February he completed a 10,000 m in 43min 7s, the best recorded in New Zealand and the best in the Commonwealth last year. The distance is not recognised for record purposes in New Zealand but on his way to the finish he passed the 5000 m

Tennis.—Jose Clerc, of Argentina, an unranked outsider who had to qualify for the tournament, won the grand prix tennis championship at Florence by beating Patrick Dominguez, of France, 6-4, 6-2, 6-1, in the final.

SOCCER.—The English first division team, West Bromwich Albion, beat Shanghai, 2-0, in Shanghai after leading 1-0 at half-time in an undistinguished match played in sweltering heat.

mark in 21 min 28.55, a time which bettered the official New Zealand record by an amazing 31s. He later recorded 2hr 23min 8s for 30km, which gave him third ranking in the Commonwealth. His place in the Commonwealth Games team appeared to be assured until he was disqualified in controversial fashion while leading the New Zealand 20km championship at Wellington in March. The judges claimed he had not been straightening his right leg properly. Seatter strongly disputed this and in the final Commonwealth Games trial over 30km in Dunedin a few weeks later there was no problem. Seatter finished second to Mike Parker, of Otago, in a time faster than the Games qualifying standard. Seatter, aged 22, will leave on June 11 for Britain where he plans to complete his preparation for the Games. There, he will meet most of

i the walkers who will be his [ main rivals in the Commoni wealth event.