Brisbane Briefs

Press, 9 October 1982, Page 17

Brisbane Briefs

Today’s programme

What the New Zealanders are doing on the final day of the Commonwealth Games today.— CYCLING Individual road race (Jack Swart, Stephen Cox, Blair Stockwell, Roger Summich),

TRACK and FIELD Javelin (Mike O’Rourke, David Hookway). Women’s 1500 m final (Lorraine Moller, Dianne Rodger). Men’s 1500 m final (John Walker, Michael Gilchrist, Tony Rogers).

Company hits back

Omega Electronics, the company responsible for thfe timing of swimming events at the Commonwealth Games, has hit back at critics of its equipment. Controversy surrounded the Omega timing system at the Chandler Aquatic Centre after the disqualification of Australian and Canadian relay teams judged to have broken too early. The managing director of Omega in Australia, Graham Davies, said that he was

angry that sports commentators had judged his company's timing system without checking their facts. He said his company and the equipment installed at the pool had been totally exonerated by Games officials. The Chandler pool’s timing system came under heavy fire when the Australian women's 4 x 100 metres medley relay team was disqualified after winning its event last Tuesday night — NZPA.

Consolation medals

Members of the disqualified Australian and Canadian relay teams who missed gold medals at the swimming received some compensation yesterday. A swimming pool company had solid gold medallions struck in Sydney on Thursday and flown to Brisbane yesterday for presentation to the team managers on behalf of the swimmers. The medallions, worth about $250 each, have engraved on them: “For a solid gold swim. Brisbane, 1982.”

The Australian team manager. Jim Barry, described the medallions as a “superb gesture,” and one which he was sure the swimmers would be absolutely delighted to receive. “I think it will take away some of the bitterness and disappointment they had with the disqualifications,” he said. The Canadian team manager, Allan Fitzpatrick, said: “I can only endorse exactly what Mr Berry has said.”— NZPA.

Sports scholarships

The Australian Government will allocate ten sports scholarships a year at the Australian Institute of Sport to selected athletes from developing Commonwealth Countries. Announcing this at the Games village in Brisbane

yesterday afternoon the Australian Prime Minister, Malcolm Fraser, estimated the cost of the scholarships at about $150,000 a year. Mr Fraser said that the Games had shown there was great sporting talent in Commonwealth Countries.