Lomax is ready to jump

Press, 22 October 1980, Page 28

Lomax is ready to jump

By

ROD DEW

For the last three years, Terry Lomax (Old Boys-Te Kura) has dominated high jumping in New Zealand. He has already won the national senior title three times in succession, and he currently holds the national record at 2.11 m. However, Lomax has no/; room for complacency,”/, and he is well aware of it, ■ His rivals are pressing him so hard that he freely J admits that "it will-.be / harder to get into The Pa-X--cific Conference .Games team than to actually, compete in the event.” His first target /this summer is, of course,"to

win selection i for the Pacific Games, which will be held at Queen Elizabeth II Park as the climax to the New- Zealand Games on January -31; and February 1. He is aiming for an early peak;for the Games trials, at Auckland on December- 13. and 14. An elbow injury during the winter has reduced his preparation, which has consisted chiefly of playing basketball, volleyball and Australian rules football. He .is also at present without. his coach, Alan Tucker, who is in Britain. But he does not regard this as a great handicap. The two have been corresr

; ponding, and Lomax is .satisfied that he has enough experience behind him : to recognise a problem'when it comes along. He has yet to compete in his first high jump.contest, this summer. His debut for the season will. probably take place in the inter-club meeting on Saturday. His form in other

secondary events has led him to believe that the time is right to begin jumping. He achieved a career-best vault of 3.5 m in the pole vault last Saturday — “it was the first time I had. touched a pole since last season” — and on the same day he ran his .first 200 m for three years iff- 22.95. Already this summer he has run a 400 m in 50.95? Lomax holds the Canterbury 100 m sprint title, but this was more a bonus on top of his high.jump titles? His best time last season was !0.95. . ?/?■ , Two season ago, Lomaxshowed signs of devel-

oping into a top decathlon performer; a second place in the New Zealand • championship in 1979 confirmed this. However, he .did not contest the national championship last season, preferring instead to concentrate on the defence of his high jump crown. “Last season I didn’t really have the enthusiasm. This summer I ami feeling much better,” he said. He intends to return to the decathlon, but this will remain secondary to the high jump. “My first priority i this year is to retain my high jump title. . Then I will start thinking about the .decathlon.” ' , One of . Lomax’s long:term,aims is to match the record of/six wins in the New Zealand.' high jump ,byX ? ; ahotbet’ ' Canterbury jumpet, Peter Wells. However, Lomax is by rio • means confident of Winning his. fourth- title thid: - year;- on the home front, - he faces stern competition. ? U \ Kieran McKee has’already cleared more than 2m this season and Quin Pawson is also, right up there. There are. others not far behind: in? Canterbury, and many more in other centres ‘ showing promise. ' - Lomax set his New Zea-T land record of 2.11 m two/ years ago, and he feels? that he is now . ready-, to go higher. “I should be able to improve on this; I had no motivation at all last year, but I have .now got a little more ' en- ■ ■ thusiasm.’ ? ./ In spite of. his impressive record, Lomax is only 22 and probably has Jiis best years. ahead. At I.BBm tall, he' has theT ideal build for a high ’ jumper. Much -of his jumping has been ..done against a background - of frustrating injuries. - This season he seems off to a fine start. If he can maintain the momentum, the sky is the limit. A place in the New Zealand team for the 1982 Commonwealth Games in Brisbane must be a strong prospect if he can stay ahead of his rivals in the months ahead. The inevitable challenges are .cer? ' tain to bring out the best in him. .- ‘,