Glenda Hughes now a medal prospect

Press, 10 March 1982, Page 24

Glenda Hughes now a medal prospect

By

ROD DEW

The New Zealand women’s shot title has been the property of Canterbury athletes for so long that they tend to dismiss lightly any claims to the ‘Throne” from outside the province. Even when Barbara Beable was winning while wearing Wellington colours, there was always the feeling that she had another red Canterbury uniform closer, to her skin. After all, she spent her formative years in Canterbury, and a good many more, besides. However, on Sunday, the long reign came to an end with a fine victory to the 31-year-old Auckland athlete, Glenda Hughes, at last realising the promise she showed more than a decade ago. She heaved the shot out to a winning distance of 14.70 m from the Queen Elizabeth II Park throwing circle and Jan Bishop (Canterbury), who had looked a likely successor to Vai Young (Canterbury) in the early part of the season, had to be content with second place and a wait of 12 months for another crack at the title. Miss Bishop recorded a worthy 14.47 m and Mrs Young, troubled all season by a wrist problem, was third with 13.56 m. For Miss Hughes, the win probably confirmed her place in the New Zealand team for the Brisbane Commonwealth Games. At the end of last month, she recorded a distance of 15.96 m —26 cm beyond the Games qualifying standard. And that is the best by a New Zealand athlete for many a long year. She is confident that she can improve on this still further 'if she gets to the

Games. “Having sat without making much progress for 18 years, it might seem crazy to say I can improve further, but this is really the first time I have taken the event seriously,” she said. A police officer, Miss Hughes has been based an Wellington for much of her career but after the .198.0 national championships she was transferred to Auckland. There she came under the guidance of one of New Zealand’s most successful and experienced throwers, Robin Tait. With his expert help and in the more stimulating environment in Auckland, she began to make progress. In pre-season training, she exceeded 15m for the first time. Then, in the first contest of the season, a technically bad throw left her with injured tendons in her right elbow, the shot putter’s equivalent of tennis elbow. This held her back until January, when progress became spectacular. At the start of the season, her personal best was 14.01 m. And this year, in the space of about two months, she has improved nearly two metres to 15.96 m in what must be the most impressive feat of the season. “I would have achieved this much;: earlier, in the season if it had not been for my injuryfJ she said. She was well below this in the national event, and blames nervousness for this. “This is the first time I have ever really been in with a

chance of winning a national title. And although I had the best performance, I was very nervous.” The distance, she said, was a disappointment, but winning had been her only real aim. Miss Hughes has been competing at national level since 1964 and she has adrawer full of bronze medals from the shot, and one solitary silver medal, won behind Vai Young in 1979, in Christchurch, to remind her of the wasted years. Glenda Hughes started in athletics as a high jumper. She was introduced to the sport by her physical education teacher at Wellington Girls’ College, Barry Rait. She developed from a high jumper into a pentathlete because she liked “competing in everything.” But an injury in 1976 prompted her to take the shot out of the. pentathlon and restrict herself to this. Ever since, the shot has been her only event; although it was only two winters ago when she started to do a proper build-up, under the guidance of Barbara and Mike Beable in Wellington. This was not reflected in her performance at the 1980 national ... championships, partly because of work commitments for the police in the weeks leading up to the ■championships. ■The transfer to Auckland brought a change of duties, and a lighter load, enabling more attention to be paid to training. “I have had a lot more, spare time since I have been in Auckland.” She has

been spending thiee or four hours a week in a gymnasium working with weights, she had been doing a lot of sprinting for speed, and, of course, a lot of throwing. Tait, who is also likely to be included in the Games team, trains with her and makes certain she doesn't shirk. “He has years and years of experience and, technically, he is very sound,” she said. Tait has ' improved her technique, helped her improve her speed, and encouraged her with her strength work. Many strength athletes drink litres of milk, but this is one liquid Miss Hughes has to avoid at all costs. She is allergic to milk. One drink and she can swell up so much that her clothes will not fit her. She is also allergic to most drugs and antibiotics, and for most has a half-hour reaction period. Miss Hughes is also prominent in other sports. She plays senior netball and is an excellent basketball player. She is a member of the New Zealand Services basketball team which is planning an Australian tour this winter. But if she is selected for the Brisbane Games, she will review her participation in these. One thing is certain. Glenda Hughes has finally realised that she is capable of achieving greatness in the shot. The level she is at now should have been reached years ago. But it is not too late. She could yet make her mark on the Commonwealth Games.

No great advances are required to put her in with a medal chance at Brisbane.