Middle distance double within reach of Andrew Stark

Press, 16 February 1980, Page 20

Middle distance double within reach of Andrew Stark

By

ROD DEW

I The coveted Canterbury ■ middle distance track ? double appears to be with- , in the reach of the cheeri ful University runner, Andrew Stark. 1 Last Sunday Stark completely dominated a strong field in the Canterbury 1500 m championship final at Queen Elizabeth II Park, winning in the outstanding time of 3min

43.15. On the evidence of this, he must now start as the favourite for the provincial 800 m title at the same venue tomorrow. In previous years, Stark has encountered problems reaching his peak at the right time of the season. He has invariably peaked too soon and after splendid performances in the early part of the season,

his form has fallen away just when he needed it most. Because of this, he has never fully realised the great potential he showed as a junior. Just three years ago, Stark won the New Zealand junior 800-1500 m championship double and a bright future was predicted for him. A third place behind Dennis Norris (Auckland) and Rendell Mclntosh (Canterbury) in the senior 800 m final the next season appeared to confirm this. However, he was losing form rapidly after some worthy performances in the international series last year and in the New Zealand 1500 m final was badly out of touch. He finished out of a place. This summer. Stark’s coach, Mr Bruce Milne, has been holding him back, and initial results look very promising indeed. He has already set a Canterbury 3000 m record in an “over distance” race, and his winning time in the 1500 m final last Sunday was his personal best by two-fifths of a second. The 800 m is his chief distance this season, so it was a most impressive effort. Tomorrow, Stark is quietly confident of retaining the 800 m title, which he has held for the last two years. But he is not taking the opposition lightly. Richard Goldstone (Old Boys-Te Kura) has been making progress, too. He has been beaten by Stark by less than half a stride in the last two finals of the Canterbury 800 m championship, and he is keen to reverse this tomorrow. “I will be out there to do my best,” he said. Last season, Goldstone finished second to Norris in the New Zealand cham-

pionship in his first season as a senior. It was a great start, and it earned him a place in the New Zealand team for the match against Australia. He has since modified his preparation, slightly, to ensure that he retains his considerable basic speed. Last Sunday he was a very comfortable winner

of the Canterbury 400 m championship in 48.695. His heat win was fractionally faster, so it is clear that he is right on target. “The 400 m championship was just training for the 800 m,” he said. “I treated the heat and the final like two legs of an 800 m race. It was just a training run — preparation for the 800 m.” With Norris taking a rest from athletics, it seems as if the next New Zealand champion could be either Goldstone or Stark. Tomorrow’s final might provide a good indication of who it will be. Stark has made it quite clear he will be running to win tomorrow. And he expects to improve on his personal best time for the distance of Imin 48s. “If it is a good day, the race will be won in a fast time,” he predicted. However, there could be a dark horse in the field. Chris Sly, the slim Englishman who is in New Zealand to train for the British Olympic trials, is a possible starter. He ran second to Stark in the 1500 m final last Sunday in a time below his best. He is obviously not at his racing peak, but his races last week-end should have

helped “tune” him up a little. A sub-4min miler, Sly has represented Britain in both 800 and 1500 m and certainly has the ability to test both Stark and Gold-, stone. But he might chose to race over 5000 m instead. This championship also promises to be full of

interest. Because post entries are now accepted for Canterbury championships, it is not clear exactly who will start. If Sly starts, he will be among the most favoured. He has already displayed his ability over 5000 m.

The winner erf the title .last year. Alan Thurlow (Olympic), is concentrating on achieving the qualifying time for the Moscow Olympics in the 10,000 m. He might elect to let the 5000 m title go undefended. One confirmed starter is the New Zealand 3000 m steeplechase champion, , Martin Couldwell (University). In the best form of his career, he has already . retained his provincial steeplechase title and last Sunday showed a surprising turn of speed to finish a close fourth in the 1500 m final. Last season he was runner-up to Thurlow in the 5000 m, and it seems that he might now be ready io assume the crown.

Peter Renner (New Brighton), the reigning New Zealand junior 5000 m title-holder, will be out to improve on what has been a somewhat disappointing season for him so far. Of special interest today will be the Canterbury women’s 5000 m championship, a relatively new distance for women. Mary O’Connor (University), a convincing winner of the recent 3000 m championship, starts as the favourite. But there will be close competition from AnneMarie Keown (University) and Doreen Smith (University). Andrea Wilson (University), who won the 1500 m championship so well last Saturday, should also prove a strong contender if she starts.