Californian wins 100m,favourite now for 200m

Press, 10 January 1981, Page 4

Californian wins 100m,favourite now for 200m

Bv

ROD DEW

A formidable record of success in international competition by sprinters from the United States was further enhanced yesterday when a long-striding Southern Californian, Doug Smith, won the coveted M4O 100 m crown in the World Veteran Games at Queen Elizabeth II Park.

The holder of the United States masters TOO and 200 m titles* Smith began slowly before bursting clear of the strong field in the final, halfway down the track, and flashed across the finishing line in a smart 11.255.

The M 45 200 m went to a dusky sprinter representing the Netherlands, David Sanwamade, who caused some confusion afterwards by telling reporters that he came from Scotland. Sanwamade snatched victory right on the line from Hal Thomas, of Australia,-who mistakenly started to pull up after crossing a line short of the finish. “I had him. I misjudged the line,” a disappointed Thomas said afterwards. Both men were credited with the same time. 23.205. Jose Übarri, of Puerto Rico, gained an easy win in the M 55 200 m in 24.485. Russell Meyers, a brain surgeon from Pensacola, Florida, snatched victory in the M 75 100 m in 15.71 s in

an all-American finish. H. Anderson, of the United States, was second in 16.06 s and W. McFadden, also of the United States, was third in 16.345. Meyers, who set a world record of 20.9 s in the M 75 110 m hurdles on Thursday, has been competing only since 1979. The attraction of veteran athletics-for him is the “striving for excellence.” At the top end of the age scale. Sven Falk, of Sweden, won the MBO 100 m in a rather more sedate 20.825. Falk, who is 84, is not a regular athlete. His speciality is orienteering, but this has not limited his success.! On the first day he won the shot and yesterday in the long jump he added a third gold medal to his tally.

Behind him, the battle for the minor placings could not have been closer. R. Austin, of Australia, snatched the silver medal with a fine final burst in 11.44 s and a team-mate. R. Dunbar, claimed the bronze medal in 11.51.

New Zealand's big hope for a gold medal in this event, the former All Black wing. Bruce McPhail, of Ashburton, was initially placed third but later relegated to fourth after an examination of the photofinish picture. He was credited with 11.525, slower than he achieved in his semi-final yesterday. “I didn’t feel good in the first part of the race. Jootie Pesakarah, of Indonesia, had me at the start. But the finish is my strong point. I always seem to get a lift at 50m,” McPhail said. In spite of his obvious natural speed. Smith was never among the top men in the United States. He competed at high school and at college, but a period of military service followed by marriage kept him away from the track at the time when he should have been at his peak. Two years ago he was persuaded by a friend to start running again, and he gradually lifted his performance. He has best recent times for 100 m and 200 m of 10.9 s and 22.45, respectively. The latter times makes him a favourite for the sprint double when the 200 m final is held on Tuesday. There was no more popular win on the day than that of the blind West Ger'man sprinter. Fritz Assmy, in the final of the M 65 100 m. Guided by his son-in-law, Klaus Hinrichsen, he led virtually all the way, reaching the finish in the excellent time of 12.895. This was a mere nine-hundredths of a second outside the listed world record for the grade. Unbeaten in veteran athletics since 1977,' Assmy has thigh hopes of winning the >2oom as well.

In his youth Assmy planed to become a civilian pilot, and he joined the German Air Force to help him qualify for this career. However, while testing a Henkschel 123 fighter plane in 1938, he crashed and lost his sight in both eyes. He was then 23.

This also appeared to put to an end a promising careeras a sprinter. As a boy of. 18 he ran the 100 m in 11. Is.

Then. 10 years ago, with the help of Hinrichsen, he started to realise that blindness need not necessarily keep him out of active sport. He started with gymnastics, moved on to athletics, and has gone from strength to strength. The runner-up in the final yesterday was V. Brange, of Sweden, who finished well back in 13.795.

Lloyd Snelling, of South Australia, was a comfortable winner of the M5O 100 m in 11.91. A fellow Australian, M. Pirie, took the silver medal in 12.205.