Surprise inclusion

Press, 29 June 1982, Page 32

Surprise inclusion

By

ROD DEW

New Zealand's track and field team for the Brisbane Commonwealth Games have reverted to its original numerical strength of 33 with the surprise inclusion of Mark Robinson, a 22-year-old discus thrower who has lived in the United States for the last three years. Robinson, a former national secondary schools’ champion and junior titleholder in the discus, made his successful bid for late inclusion with a splendid throw of 58.70 m while competing for Washington State University on May 15.

This elevated him to fifth ranking in the Commonwealth. ahead of the veteran. Robin Tait, who was previouusly New Zealand’s only, male discus thrower in the" team. There has been one withdrawal from the original track team, announced in May Wendy Brown, the outstanding Northland sprinter, has been forced out by injury. The announcement of the second part of the team for Brisbane probably signals the end of all hope for the late inclusion of either Rod Dixon or Tom Birnie. two athletes many followers of

the ■ sport feel should be in the team. ■ Dixon has 'still not attempted a qualifying time for either the 5000 or 10.000 m, although there is little doubt he could better both times, and Birnie has made no further attempts to better the 5000 m standard he so narrowly missed. The result of this is that New Zealand, traditionally, strong in distance events on the track, will not be represented in the 10,000 m at Brisbane and. depending on what John Walker finally decides to do, might also be absent from the 5000 m.