Top fields in women’s races

Press, 4 March 1982, Page 10

Top fields in women’s races

The removal of the confusion over the amateur status of the two talented New Zealand runners, Lorraine Moller and Anne Audain (both Auckland), has added spice to the women’s distance events in the New Zealand championships this week-end. There was a time last year when both women appeared to turn their backs on amateur athletics and any chance of running at the Commonwealth Games when they accepted prize money for road races in the United States. But the international rules have been modified to allow athletes to put prize money won into trust accounts and to draw on these for expenses. Miss Moller and Mrs Audain have done this, and after a period of suspension are now free to run again in amateur ranks. Miss Moller will contest both the 1500 m and the 3000 m, while Mrs Audain restricts her efforts to the longer distances. They must be among the favourites for victory, although running well on the road in America might prove rather different' from running on the track. The competition they face will be strong. Dianne ’ Rodger (Waikato), outstanding in the international meetings, has the ability to take top honours in both championships. She is unquestionably New Zealand’s top woman distance runner on the track this summer.

In the 5000 m,. Barbara

Moore (Auckland), who won the title in 1980, must be a strong contender and the five from Canterbury, Mary O’Connor, Anne Marie Keown, Wendy Mollinson, Margaret Walker and Sue Bruce, are capable of applying a lot of pressure. Miss O’Connor, winner of a host of national titles in cross-coun-try and on the road, has been running well on the track and will not be beaten easily.

At any rate, anybody seriously hoping to win will have to expect to run faster than the Games qualifying time of 9min 12s. The 1500 m will mark the unexpected return of the former New Zealand representative, Alison Wright, who only a short time ago announced that she would do all her running in future for England, the country where she made her home. She was then critical of the lack of help she had received from the New Zealand Amateur Athletic Association, but appears to have changed her mind. She will be chasing the Games qualifying time of 4min 15s.

Few will be disappointed that Mrs Wright has elected to stick with New Zealand, but the task that lies ahead of her is not an easy one. Miss Moller, who has run 4min 13s this summer, and such promising young athletes as Christine Hughes and Linden Wilde (both Auckland), and Jenny Overall (West Coast ■ North Island), and Sue Bruce.(Canterbury), are all capable of fast times.