Leading walker ignored

Press, 26 December 1979, Page 20

Leading walker ignored

New Zealand’s leading race walker, Graham Seatter, I of Christchurch, is sharply | critical of his omission from the list of New Zealand athletes who will have their ex- ? penses paid to compete in the forthcoming Pan AmSouth Pacific Television international track and field series. Seatter, who is widely regarded as one of the few New Zealand athletes with any chance of qualifying for the Moscow Olympic Games, was hoping to be invited to compete in all five meetings in the mile walks against the talented British walker, Roger Mills. Instead, he

appears to have been completely ignored by the land-based organisers. “1 can’t understand it,” said Seatter, who has

recently returned from a trip to Europe and the world championships. “Do they [just expect me to turn up? Ilf they just want to fill up the fields each time with local walkers, the walks will be a farce.” Mills is among the finest performers over short distances in the world. He has a best time for the mile of 6min Bs, which was a world best performance (world records are not recognised in the mile walk) when it was set. Seatter’s best is 6min 14s, but the next fastest in New Zealand is 6min 40s or slower. ? “If I am not racing. Mills will win by the length of the straight. The races will' just become one-man exhibi-j tions. I am prepared to com-'

pete at the five meetings if I'i am asked, although it does], not fit in with my training, ji If I get no financial help,|l then, quite simply, 1 won’t] be competing. I can’t afford? to,” Seatter said. The mile walks will ben televised at three meetings — Whangarei, Christchurch, i and 'Auckland. The prospect' of a series of clashes be- 1 tween Mills and Seatter in ! prime programme time was i earlier hailed as a major : breakthrough for walking. : Mills has the faster times, but would be competing out 1 of season. “This should even us up,”?.' said Seatter. “There is cer-|I tainly nobody else in New I, Zealand who can even get:, close to him." [, I Seafter recently improved?' on his New Zealand 5000m':

'residential record at Duneidin. He also holds the allcomers’ record, and the New Zealand 20km record. Seatter, who has become a respected rival of Mills on his visits to Europe, will definitely race in the mile walk in the Christchurch meeting on January 19. “If I wanted to get nasty, I could boycott the whole series. But I won’t do that. I will race in the Christchurch meeting at any rate,” Seatter said. The president of the Canterbury Athletic Centre, Mr Don Mackenzie, suggested that Seatter might be 'becoming upset prematurely. (Although the list of invited 'New Zealand athletes had! 1 I been announced, things were: (still not finalised, he said.