Cross-country team

Press, 8 November 1978, Page 6

Cross-country team

PA Wellington Two Canterbury women. AnnMarie Keown and Mary O’Connor, have been named in the New Zealand cross-country team io run in the world championships at Limerick, Ireland, next March. Heather Thompson 1 Aucklandi will captain the women’s team, which also includes Anne Audaln nee Garrett, Auckland). Loraine Moller (.Waikato), and Barbara Moore (Auckland). The Olympic and Common.vealth Games steeplechase final-, st. Euan Robertson, will cap-; .ain the men's team The team also includes two )f New Zealand’s top track stars tod Dixon (Canterbury) and Dick Quax (Aucklandt together *. ith the marathon experts. Jack foster (Rotorua-, Kevin Ryan Auckland), and Paul Ballinger (West Coast, North Island). The remainder of the nine strong men’s squad are ’□hn Dixon (Nelson), Howard lealey (Auckland), and Alan Thurlow (Otago). Two Wellington harriers, Dan O’Connell and Tina Wilde, are second reserves for the respec Dve teams. Other reserves are 3nice Jones (Auckland) and Martin Cauldwell (Canterbury), and

Alison Deed and Jan Healy (both Auckland-. The inclusion of Dixon anti Quax may cause some surprise since neither has shown seriott j interest in top-level harrier un i ning in the recent past. How I eve l . rhe New Zealand Amateui ; Athletic Association's managa ment committee made it cleat last night that all members har •signified their availability fci the March 25 world champion ! shins. The committee also decidec •that between January 19 ant ,I' ebruan 19. ’he membe rs - ■ the men's team should prove their fitness bv running IO.OOOn in 29min 50sec or better and tb» women by clocking 9min 40se< lor better for 3000 m. and no lean ! member will be allowed to tali ; pert in a marathon race be ’tween January 1 and the worl< I championships. ! The men’s team manager wil be Mr Terry Baker, aged 37 captain of Wellintgon Harriet and an active marathon an< cross-country runner wh< (ravelled extensively oversea) between 1973 and 1977. I The women’s team will bi •managed bv Mrs Pam Kenny, ; i 36-year-old bank officer fron I Rotorua She is a road, trad and harrier runner who com pe.ted in the 1962 Perth Com I mon weal th Games.