Renner runs off festive dinner with 3000 m record

Press, 27 December 1982, Page 3

Renner runs off festive dinner with 3000 m record

When Peter Renner arrived at Queen Elizabeth II Park for the Boxing Day inter-club track and field meeting, he was unaware that there was a 3000 m event on the programme.

But when the tall NewBrighton athlete left the stadium late yesterday afternoon, he was the new Canterbury senior men’s recordholder for that distance.

On Saturday, Renner did not spare a thought for the meeting.

“I had a great big Christmas dinner and another big tea. I did not really know how I would be, I thought I would probably be like a snail,” he said. Instead, he was more like a chased hare.

Renner’s objective when he went to the meeting was to try to help Colin McDonald to a fast time over 1500 m, but when he found conditions so favourable — “there was no wind for a change” — he elected to make an attempt on the Canterbury 3000 m record. The record, held by Tom Birnie at Bmin 4.05, was one

which Renner, who is better known for his deeds in the 3000 m steeplechase event, felt confident that he could break.

“I have always wanted to have a go at the record and I felt I was in the right form. I had to run even 64s for each lap to break it.” Renner, aged 23, lapped consistently at his desired times and went strongly to the finishing line to record Bmin 3.15.

He recovered so quickly from his record run that he was able to make bis presence felt in the men’s 1500 m later on the programme. He set the pace from the outset and his first thoughts were to lead the field through 800 m and then pull out. But he felt strong and it was not until 200 m from the finish that he eased out and allowed a determined McDonald to take the lead.

McDonald, of Technical, sprinted hard to the finish and finished in the creditable time of 3min 46.15. Andrew Stark, of Cashmere-Hiilmor-ton, gained considerable ground over the final 300 m to take second in 3:46.7 and

Renner lasted gamely for third in 3:48.8.

After the meeting, Renner, whose previous best time for 3000 m had been 8:8.7 at an international meeting in Auckland two years ago, said that the 3000 m steeplechase would be his event at the international meeting at QE II Park on January 15. He will have the strong competition needed to bring out his best in the form of Poland’s Boguslaw Maminski, a silver medallist at the European championships. Maminski became Poland’s top 3000 m steeplechase runner after the tragic death of Bronislaw Malinowski, who was killed in a car crash. Maminski has a per- - sonal best time of 8:16.66.

The meeting also proved a triumph for the stronglybuilt High School Old Boys sprint specialist, Joe Leota. He easily won the men’s 100 m in a swift 10.8 s, but his 200 m win had more gloss. He beat the Australian Commonwealh Games sprinter, Peter Gandy, into second place. Leota covered the distance in 21.95; Gandy in 22.45.

The meeting was not as low-key as might have been expected on the day after Christmas. The outstanding Wayne Paul (Papanui-Red-wood) raced over hurdles over 400 m against rivals who were not faced with obstacles. He was timed by one watch at 51.1, which bettered the New Zealand residents record by two-tenths of a second.

Gail Adams (Technical) gave a remarkable performance in the women’s 800 m to beat two more experienced runners, . Joan Merrifield (University) and the Canterbury champion, Rebecca Allison (Technical) into the minor placings. Miss Adams, who has been competing successfully over 400 m, held on tenaciously to win in a time of 2:9.8. Miss Merrifield was second in 2:10.1 and Miss Allison third in 2:12.0.

In the under-age events, a special cheer was given to Chris Middleton (PapanuiRedwood), who won the under 18 boys’ high jump with a fine leap of 2m. It was the first time that he had achieved that height.