Wayne Paul has outstanding time for 400m sprint

Press, 25 October 1982, Page 14

Wayne Paul has outstanding time for 400m sprint

By ROD DEW An outstanding run of 47.9 s in the senior 400 m sprint by Wayne Paul (Papanui Redwood) was a highlight of the second Canterbury inter-club track and field meeting of the season, at Queen Elizabeth II Park, on Saturday. Paul, who represented New Zealand with honour as a 400 m hurdler in an international meeting in Taiwan in September, was using the race to help his basic speed for the hurdles. Since his great performance, run in cold windy conditions, the 400 m sprint must now rival the hurdles as his main event. The time, one of the fastest run by a Canterbury athlete over this distance in recent years, was a personal best for Paul. He ran easily throughout and had something in reserve at the finish. The run suggests that this season will be the best yet for Paul and that a place in the team for the first world track and field championships in Helsinki next August is a realistic target. Another aim could be the Canterbury 400 m record of 47.1 s set nine years ago by

Trevor Cochrane. The runner-up in the senior 400, some distance/ behind Paul, was William Rollenston (Toe H) in 51.75. The first record of the season went to John Skurr (St Andrew's College) in the under 16 discus with a throw of 49.14 m. The winning effort came on the second attempt but he also had another excellent performance of 46.8 m in the last round. The previous record of 47.96 m was set by Toby Hunt, of Ashburton, last year. A measure of Skurr's performance was that the second thrower, Greg Bush (Avon) achieved 28.94 m.

Skurr also had success in the sprints, winning the under 16 60m in 7.5 s and the 200 m in

Joan Merrifield (University) made a winning return to the track in the women’s 1500 m, in 4min 42.65. Her comeback, after a number of years raising a family, promises to make women's

middle-distance running in Canterbury even more interesting than usual this summer. Before her “retirement" in the early 19705, Joan Merrifield was one of

Canterbury's foremost 400 m runners. She led all the way on Saturday, making light of the cold and rain which began a short time before the start of the race.. Grant Landery (Old Boys) won the senior men’s high jump after a keen tussle with another jumper of considerable promise, Andrew Wells (Toe H). He had a sound attempt at 2.05 m but brought the bar down three times and had to settle for a winning height of 2.00 m. Wells jumped 1.95 m and the third place-getter, Stephen McKee (Toe H), jumped 1.85 m.

Earlier, McKee won the triple jump with a leap of 13.65 m. His biggest challenge came from his brother,

Derek McKee (Toe H), who was second with 13.37 m. Ken Simpson (Toe H), only an occasional competitor these days but still the holder of the Canterbury record, was third with 12.31 m.

Bruce Harrison (Avon) stepped up to senior ranks for the day and found no real challengeres over 100 m, winning in 11.3 s into a strong head wind. Jeff Barnfield

(Toe H). just held out Jeff Bailey (Old Boys) for second. Both recorded the same time. 11.65.

Harrison also won the junior 60m sprint in 7.3 s from Craig Giddens (Papanui Redwood), a tenth of a second slower.

The experienced former New Zealand decathlon champion. Mene Mene (Technical). achieved a field events double with excellent wins in the senior shot and discus. In the shot he made a modest start before building up to his winning effort of 14.27 m. Evan Peterson (Technical), better known for his sprinting and long jumping, was second with 11.95 m and Terry Lomax (Old Boys), New Zealand's highest high jumper was third with 11.22 m In the discus. Mene won with 39.26 m from Stephen McKee and Lomax, who could be having thoughts about his obvious potential in the decathlon.

Bernie Harland (Technical) won the hammer with a fine throw of 53.06 m. with the veteran former New Zealand champion. Dave' Leech (Unversity). in the second

Dion Andrews (New Brighton) scored an excellent 200m-800m double in junior ranks. But 'in the longer event his time suffered because he was under no real pressure. He finished in a modest 2min 00.35. The honour of setting the fastest 800 m time of the .day went to another New Brighton runner. D. Dale. He ran Imin 59.4 s in the under 18 grade. Kerry Faas. aged 17. (Avon) won the junior 5000 m convincingly in 15min 54.55.

The Canterbury 400 m champion Gail Adams (Technical), in her final appearance in Canterbury for a while, was beaten in the women's 400 m by Josie Jones (Avon), who recorded 58.45. Miss Adams, who will spend the next two months studying in Dunedin was second in 59.45.

Earlier. Mrs Jones won the women's 100 m in 12.75.

Jan Bishop (Technical) achieved her usual wins in the shot and javelin. Her best shot performance was a worthy 14.36 m. The 41.14 m in the javelin was well below her best but satisfying for this stage of the season.