Stark dominates on Ham grass track

Press, 20 November 1978, Page 34

Stark dominates on Ham grass track

k Athletics 4

A superbly fit Andrew Stark (University) pushed the bitter memories of last season’s disappointments into the background with a splendid 3000 m victory in the Canterbury inter-club track and field meeting on the grass track at Ham on Saturday. Stark, who represented New Zealand at the Pacific Conference Games in Canberra last year, completely dominated proceedings and was well clear of his nearest rivals as he crossed the finish in the excellent time of Bmin 21.45. Although this was his first track appearance of the summer, he was more than 7s faster than his previous best time. “When I come out I like to run hard,” he explained later. “I found myself in the lead early on and it wasn’t worrying me so I just kept going'.” Quite clearly, the 21-year-old former New Zealand junior champion could have slowed his pace and still won. But that is not his way of doing things. He burst into the lead on the second lap and within three laps was some 30m clear of the first of the other runners in the big field of 30. Ivan Shatford (Old Boys) made up some ground in the middle stages before drifting back as the race neared its end, finally finishing fourth. The runner-up position went to the very promising 18-year-old New Zealand 1500 m colts champion, Michael Gilchrist (Technical), who came through the field with a rush towards the finish. He recorded Bmin 30.45, his personal best by Bs. John Stark (University),

an older brother of Andrew, also finished well, claiming third place in Bmin 335. *‘l am quite happy,” Andrew Stark said, emphasising that his approach this season would be somewhat different from last season. “I ran myself into the ground last season. This time I will pick my races a bit more carefully.” Stark ran 22 800 m races and 15 1500 m races last summer and became stale just when he needed to be > at his peak to reinforce his claims for a place in the New Zealand Commonwealth Games team. The New Zealand crossI country representative, Anne Marie Keown (University), won the women’s 3000 m in another outstanding run. She ' completed the distance in the fine time of Stalin 51,55, an indication that she is in the best form of her career. [ Wendy Mollison (University) Iran well for her second in . lOmin 11.25, but on the day was no match for Miss I Keown. A 17-year-old junior, Evan Peterson (Technical), provided the major surprise of the sprints with his win to I the junior 400 m in 49.85. This was an exceptional performance and only a tenth of a I second slower than the senior performance of Richard Goldstone (Old Boys) on the 'rubber track at Queen Elizabeth II Park a week earlier. | Peterson actually went to (the Ham ground intending to contest the long jump. When i it was found that the pit iwas not completely filled with sand, his coach Mi i Valdy Briedis) suggested that he run in the 400 m inI stead. This spur-of-the-mo-iment switch proved an out-

standing success. But it will) not mean any change of emphasis for the talented Peterson. He will continue to concentrate on the long jump. This event provided an-i other surprise on Saturday.! The New Zealand high jump champion, Terry Lomax (Old Boys), demonstrated his versatility by claiming victory ' in the senior long jump witn a best leap of 6.98 m. Among the vanquished was Mike Ritchie (Toe H) one of only two athletes to have exceeded 7m this summer, i Ritchie had to be content I With a best leap of 6.63 m and second place. Lomax, who might have a Ifuture as a decathlon exponent, also won the senior men’s 100 m sprint in 11.3 sec. However, he was upstaged over this distance by the strongly-built New Zealand junior champion, Joe Leota (Old Boys). Leota [won the junior 100 m in Usee from Peterson. [ Leota, another young athlete with a wide range of I skills, also won the junior discuss and shot events. ) Vai Young (Technical) continued her dominance of the women’s shot and discus events with two finer performances. She won the discus, the event in which 'she holds the national title, [with a throw of 41.46 m and ■ followed it up later in the (day with a winning throw of 13.22 m in the shot. Jan Bishop (Technical) was second both times but she, too, had her share of success. In the women’s ■ javelin, she recorded 38.10 m. Among her challengers was a former New Zealand champion and ComI monwealth Games represen-

tative, Sally Mene, who was) able to throw 33.7 m without ! any winter preparation I whatsoever. Mrs Mene also] finished third in the discus[ with a distance of 37.26 m. Jeff Bailey (Old Boys) I sprinted to a victory in the men’s 200 m in a smart 22.55ec, just holding off a strong challenge frbm his club-mate, Andy von Biel. Bailey later pulled a hamstring while running the anchor leg for Old Boys in the [4 x 100 m relay. He still i managed to lead the team to ! victory over a junior Technii cal team but pulled up in Spain as soon as he crossed I the finishing line. > “I thought it was cramp i at first but it now seems ithat it is a hamstring inIjury,” he said later. “Howlever, it does not seem too [bad. I can walk quite all [right on the leg now.” | Bailey, after his' impres- | sive 50.4 sec 400 m run the previous week, has decided [ to return to 400 m sprinting. ■ He was runner-up in the [ New Zealand championship [ three seasons ago. Last sea-| son he restricted his activities to the short sprints be-1 cause of the smaller de-. Imands on preparation. The women’s sprints on Saturday went to Nicola Doak (Technical). She won the 100 m in 12.5 sec and the! 200 m in 26.65ec, narrowly [ heading off 17-year-old Donna Barraclough (Avon) ! in the longer event. WOMEN Senior 100 m.—N. Doak (T), 12.5, 1; A. Horsnell (T), 13.3, 2. 200 m.—N. Doak (T), 26.6, 1; D. Barraclough (A). 26.8, 2; A. Horsnell CD. 28.2, 3. 800 m.—L. Somerville (U.), 2:20.1, 1; R. Burn (HS), 2:20.6, 2; E.

laker (NB). 2:23.9. 3. 3000 m.—A. Keown (U.S, 9:51.5, 1; W. Mollison (U.). 10:11.2, 2; J. Glass (U.), 12:27.5, 3. Javelin.—J. Bishop (T), 38.10, 1; S. Mene (T), 33.70. 2. Discus'.—V. Young (T), 41.46, 1; J. Bishop (D, 38.16, 2; S. Men e (T), 37.26, 3. Shot.—V. Young (T). 33.22, 1; J, Bishop (T). 12.40, 2; M. Avia (T), 12.00. 3. 4 x 100 m relay.—High School; Old Boys-Te Kura, 53.7, 1. Under 38 100 m—D. Barraclough (A), 13.0, 1; M. Jewell <A). 13.8. 2; D. Young (A), 14.6, 3. 800 m—J. Wiese (Cash), 2:43.9, 1. 4 x 100 m relay.—Avon, 53.4, 1; Cashmere, 54.7. 2; Toe H, 55.3, 3. Under 16 100 m.—V. Lewis (HS), 12.6. 1; A Wiese (Cash), 13.3. 2; E. Lewis (HS), 13.4. 3. 200 m— A. Wiese (Cash.). 27.0, 1; V. Lewis (HS), 27.1, 2; D. Lewis (HS). 27.7. 3. 800 m.—R. Miles (A), 2:26.8, 1; L. Daniel (TH), 2:27.7. 2; J. Pescott (Cash)! 2:31.4, 3. Javelin.—A. Wessels (Cash), 19.56, 1: D. Chase (PR), 19.48, 2; D Maxted (TH), 19.46, 3. Shot.—A. Wessels (Cash), 8.15, 1: D. Maxted (TH). 8.09, 2; L. Watson (TH), 7.78, 3. MEN Senior 100 m.—T Lomax (TS), 11.3, 1; R. Read (HS), 11.4, 2; M. Ritchie | (TH), 11.7 3. , „ 200m.—Section A: J. Bailey (HS), 22.5, 1; A. von Biel (HS), 22.8, 2; A. Hamilton (Ariki), 23.1, 3. Section B: R. Read (HS) 23.5, 1; M. Fahey (A), 23.5, 2; C. Cawley (HS). 23.5, 3. Section C: G. Parker (HS), 24.1, 1; T. Jarman (HS), 24.2, 2; P. Shennan (HS). 25.2, 3. Section D: !r. Ritchie (HS), 24.9, 1; M. McKee (TH), 25.8, 2: D. Ward (TH), 26.2, 3. 800 m—E Hamilton (U.), 2:01, 1; J. Dunbar (TS). 2:01.1. 2; C. Penrose (NB), 2:07.5. 3. 3000 m.—A Stark (U), 8:21.4, 11; M Gilchrist (T), 8:30.4, 2; J. : Stark (U), 8:35.0 3. ■ Shot.—M. Leech (T), 13.17. 1; J. Gleeson (T), 12.65, 2; T. Lomax I (HS), 11.47, 3. Long jump.—T. Lomax (HS), ■ 6.98. 1: M Ritchie 'TH), 6.63, 2; K. McKee (TH). 6.21. 3. 1 Javelin.—K. Hickman (T), 53.10, i 1; P. Toneycliffe CD, 48.16, 2; J.

Gleeson (T). 44.74, 3. 4 x 100 m relay.—High School Old Boys-Te Kura, 45.0, 1. Junior 100 m.—J. Leota (HS), 11.0, 1; E. Peterson (T), 11.3, 2; M. Shaw (A), 11.5, 3. 400 m.—E. Peterson (T) 49.8. 1; A. Gill (Til), 50.6, 2; R. Cockle (NB), 52.6, 3. 1500m.—8. Pitts (U), 4:10.4, 1: D. Gratton (U) 2. 10km road walk. —11. Riach (HS), 50:59.0. 1. Discus.—J. Leota (HS), 37.10, 1; S. McKee (TH). 33.48. 2. Shot.—J. Leota (HS), 12.42. 1: M. Fahey (A.), 10.97. 2. Long jump.—A. Sullivan (TH), 6.55 1; S. McKee (TH), 6.16, 2. 4 x 100 m relay.—Technical, 45.0, ; i Under 18 ; 100m.—Section A: P. Cuff (T.), I 11.4. 1; G. Parker (H.S.), 11.6, 2: IG. Elsom (H.S.), 11.8, 3. Section |B: B. Roberts (T.). 11.9, 1; M. I Ellis (Twizel), 12.0. 2; G. Landery (Cash.), 12.2, 3. 400m.—Section A: P Connell | (N. 8. 52.6, 1; T. von Biel (H.S.), >54.0, 2; A. McKenzie (St A.), 54.7, 3. Section B: C. Lamb (N. 8. 53.9, 1; A. Tentorl (Chch), 54.6, 2; D. Bargh (TH.), 55.3, 3. 1500 m.—D. Ellis (Chch), 4:16.1. 1 J. Bosnia (T.H.), 4:16.4, 2; J. Schutte (H.S.), 3 Shot.—M. Blanch (Cash.), 12.01, 1; G. Flynn (St 8.1, 11.45, 2; N. Alfeld (St B.), 7:57, 3. Discus. —G. Flynn (St B.). 31.36, 1; M Norman (A.), 25.66, 2. Long jump.—M. Ellis (Twizel), 5.87, 1; G. Landery (Cash.), 5.71, 2; P. Connell (N. 8. 5.62, 3. 4 x 100 m relay.—Avon, 49.2, 1; Cashmere, 51.2. 2. Under 16 100m.—Section A: D. Smith (St A.), 12.3. 1; M. Blanch (Cash.), 12.4, 2: K. Williams (Cash.), 12.6, 3. Section B: C. Hooper (P.H.S.), 12.3. 1; D. Tomlin (TH.), 12.4, 2: R. Frankum (A.), 12.4, 3. 400m.—-Section A: R. Coadwell (A.), 54.2, 1; M. Blanch (Cash.), 55.2, 2; D, Gillard (NB.). 56.4, 3. Section B: D. Smith (St A.), 54.0, 1; B. Harris (St B.), 55.8, 2; M. Drav (H.S.), 56.1, 3. 1500 m.—D. Drummond (T.H.), ! 4:35.2, 1: M. McLaren (Cash.), 4:42.6. 2; R. Gold (Chch), 4:44.2. 3. Discus.—M. Blanch (Cash.), 39.56, I; S. Chase (P.R.), 30.48, 2: D. Robertson (P.R.), 24.98, 3. Long jump.—S. Chase fP.R.), 4.90, I: K. Williams (Cash.). 4.73. 2; D. Foster (Cash.), 4.48, 3. 4 x 100 m relav. —Cashmere, 49.9, 1.