Athlete upset

Press, 10 May 1979, Page 30

Athlete upset

From KEN COATES, in London. The New Zealand athlete, Alison Wright, feels she hasj been shabbily treated by the selectors picking the Oceania team for the World Cup athletics meeting in Montreal, in August. She has been omitted from the team (after being listed as a reserve) in favour of Barbara Moore, of Auckland, a late addition whose times have not been as fast. “It is the shamateur, unprofessional way the selection has been handled I object to — not so much not being included,” said Mrs Wright yesterday. The 28-year-old athlete, who lives in London, said she had received a letter a week ago which listed her as a reserve for the 3000 m, with Heather Thomson, of Auckland, the athlete selected for the distance. “That was fine by me, but I realised Heather had announced her intention to re-

I tire, so 1 assumed as reserve ! I would be a member of the team,” said Mrs Wright. But when she telephoned J New Zealand officials ta J confirm this, she was told : that Ms Moore had been se--1 lected for the 3000 m instead. 1 “I was told she had been an undisclosed reserve all ! along.” ! Ms Moore had beaten her over the distance only once, - in the last national cham- ’ pionships. "I have recorded two fas. ter times for the 3000 m — , 9 m in 13.9 s and ‘ 9min 14.35, both at the last I; British national championships. The New Zealand selectors i had presumably decided to i base their selection on one ■ meeting, the nationals in New Zealand when Ms Moore f had beaten her, said Mrs . Wright. “They would certainly L know of my other times, so ■ they cannot plead ignor--'ance.”