Athletics Splendid discus throw of 46.98m by Val Young

Press, 25 February 1980, Page 18

Athletics Splendid discus throw of 46.98m by Val Young

A superb throw of 46.98 m in the senior women’s discus by the former Commonwealth Games champion, Vai Young (Technical), provided the most memorable moment of the Canterbury inter-club track and field meeting at Queen Elizabeth II Park on Saturday. This, was her. finest performance since, her winning effort of 49.81 m in the Commonwealth Games at Jamaica in 1966. It was also a convincing indiction that she is ready to add still further to hef remarkable record of 32 New Zealand championships when she competes at .Auckland’s Mount Smart Stadium on Friday and Saturday. Her closest discus challenger has yet to better 44m this summer.

Mrs Young’s performance on Saturday was no isolated effort. She began with a distance of 45.82m', the best by a New Zealander for many years, and followed it with throws of 43.30 m and 45.58 m. Her big throw came on her fourth attempt, whirling out into a stiff head wind to reach 46.98 m. Her final two attempts were no-throws. I was the head wind which helped,” she said later. “Conditions were ideal. We normally have a back wind.” However, she was clearly delighted. ‘‘Even in the 1974 Commonwealth Games I wasn’t anywhere near this," she said.

Mrs Young won the silver medal in the Christchurch Commonwealth Games shot

put but was unplaced in the discus.

Mr V. Briedis, who has coached Mrs Young throughout her remarkable career, was impressed, • too. The head wind helped but it was a very good performance, he said. Those who knew how to handle a head wind could obtain some advantage from it, he said. Mrs Young also won the women’s shot put with a distance of 13.62 m. Later in the day, Mrs Young competed against the senior men in a bid to improve still further. Her best was her first throw of 45.32 m. Another discus thrower to reap the benefit of the ideal throwing conditions was Philip Dalglish (Technical). He won the junior discus ith a fine throw of 46.88 m, breaking the Canterbury junior record of 45.50 m set by Matt Leech three years ago.

The outstanding track performance was by the young Old Boys-Te Kura walker, Guy MayelF, who completed the fJOOm track walk in the under 18 grade in the New Zealand record time of 14min 1.95. Members of the Old Boys club now hold five New Zealand walking records, a tribute to the influence and interest of the Commonwealth Games walker. Graham Seatter.

Barbara Ovenden (Technical), who was top-ranked woman javelin thrower in New Zealand until she plunged to fourth in the Canterbury championship, bounced back on Saturday

with a winning throw of 40.46 m. But nobody will now be more aware than she that the winning throw in the New Zealand championship at Auckland next week-end will probably’ be greater than this.

Terry Lomax (Old Boys), best known for his ability in the high jump, confirmed his place as Canterbury’s top sprinter of the moment with a win in the 100 m in 10.95. The surprise winner of the Canterbury 100 m title, Lomax comfortably beat Darryl Park (Old Boys) and Tom Jarman (Old Boys). It was something of a hollow victory because the province’s top-ranked sprinter, Joe Leota (Old Boys), pulled up short with a leg injury. Leota is now a doubtful starter in the New Zealand championship next week-end.

Lomax will concentrate on the high jump, the event in which he holds the New Zealand record and title. On Saturday, in a final competition workout, he cleared 2.00 m, good enough to give him a win over Quin Pawson (Technical), whose best was 1.95 m.

Thp senior 1500 m was used by several New Zealand title contenders as a final “tune-up”. Chris Sly (Old Boys), a British middle distance representative training in New Zealand for the British Olympic trials, won in a smart 3min 44.65. Alan Thurlow (Olympic), whose chief 'aim at Auckland will be the 10,000 m, edged out

i Martin Couldwell (University) for second in 3min 146.25. Couldwell, a firm favourite for a second New Zealand steeplechase win on Friday, ran 3min 46.75. Tom Birnie (New Brighton), runner-up in the I national 1500 m championship last summer, surprised everybody by setting the early pace. But he obviously had no intention of completing the full distance, and pulled up after three laps. Bernie Harland (Technical) nudged 50m with his winning throw of 49.44 m in the senior hammer. His closest challenger was Matt Leech (Technical) with 45.62 m. Leech’s big moment was in the discus, which he won with a good throw of 42.10 m from Dalglish (41.30 m and Tala Kele (Technical). It was a black day for Bev Peterson (Technical), who recently retained her Canterbury sprint title. She was beaten into second place over 100 m by Nicky Doak (Technical) after being slowed by a leg injury. Miss Doak recorded 11.95. Miss Peterson, who ran a modest 12.45, is likely to withdraw from the New Zealand championships because of the injury.

The women’s 1500 m proved a triumph for AnneMarie Keown (University). She led all the way, winning in 4min 31.65. Man' O’Connor (University) kept close for much of the distance, but faded a little over‘the final 200 m and finished second in 4min 34.25.