Sue Bruce breaks 1500m record

Press, 31 January 1983, Page 18

Sue Bruce breaks 1500m record

One of New Zealand's most promising young middle distance runners. Sue Bruce (New Brighton), broke her own Canterbury senior 1500 m record in a superb front-running exhibition in the Canterbury inter-club track and field' meeting at Queen Elizabeth II Park on Saturday.

Miss Bruce, who is only 18. led all the way. reaching the finish well clear of the opposition in 4min 19.25. This clipped nearly two seconds off the existing record of 4min 21.18 s she set in 1981.

The runner-up in 4min 27.6 s was the former New Zealand cross-country champion. Mary O’Connor (University). Third, close .behind, was Joan Merrifield (University) in 4min 28.35.

The race was the best possible preliminary for Miss Bruce to the vital New Zealand cross-country trial at Wellington next week-end. She has her sights on selection for the team to travel to the world championships at Gateshead, England, and if this can be regarded as a pointer to her form then her chances must be very good indeed. After the race. Miss Bruce was elated. “It was a shame the start was a bit slow. I didn’t expect to be out the front so soon,” she said. She compensated for this with her strong finish, which left some very ■ worthy rivals strung out far behind. But

she freely admitted that she was "working hard all the wav.”

The field of 16 was the strongest assembled in Canterbury for this event this season and for many it was the final test before the national cross-country trial. Even so. nobody was prepared to take the pace at the start and it was Miss Bruce who led through the first lap in a slow 70s. As soon as she heard the time called, she stepped up the pace and this broke up the field in spectacular fashion. Mrs Merrifield, with Miss O'Connor close behind, tried to hang on but found the pace too fast. Miss Bruce cut out the first two laps in 2.19 s and completed the third in 3min 28s. Miss O'Connor, who prefers much longer distances. used her strength to come through for second ahead of Mrs Merrifield. Wendy Mollison (New Brighton) was fourth. One casualty of the race was Debbie Tipper (University), who suffered from muscle soreness and pulled out after only two laps. She later received physiotherapy treatment and will be praying that the damage will not affect her chances in the cross-country trial.

Miss Bruce is now the holder of seven Canterbury records — two in the under--16 grade, three in the under--18 grade and two (1500 m and 3000 m) in the senior grade.

No-one could blame her if she is feeling confident about her chances in the trial next week-end. There was another fine 1500 m run in the senior men’s grade, from AndrewStark (Christchurch), slowly returning to his old form after a long period handicapped by injury. Stark defeated some very worth while opponents in a fast 3min 46.95, an indication that he might surprise a few top people before this summer has ended.

Second was the Commonwealth Games steeplechaser. Peter Renner (New Brighton), in 3min 50.65. Tom Birnie (New Brighton), a former national 1500 m champion, finished easily in 3min 52.15. Some of the province’s leading athletes were competing against Wellington for the Dorrie Leslie Trophy in Wellington but enough stayed behind to ensure a meeting of reasonable substance.

Lynette Kay (Technical), fresh from her record-break-ing effort over 400 m hurdles the previous Saturday, won the 400 m sprint in a smart 56.95, comfortably defeating the reigning ’ Canterbury '-hampion, Gail Adams (Technical). Miss Kay also won the 100 m hurdles, in 14.35, from Lyn Aben (Technical). In the 100 m flat, Miss Kay ran 12.3 s and this was good enough for second behind the leading Canterbury sprinter,

Bev Peterson (Technical). Miss Peterson recorded 11.95. Donna Barraclough (Avon) was third in 12.45. Bruce Harrison (Avon) stole a march on more experienced rivals in the senior men’s 100 m, winning in Ils. Michael Fahey (Old Boys) was second in 11.1 s and Paul Cuff (Technical) third in 11.25. Cuff later reversed this result in the 200 m. winning in 22.1 s from Fahey and Harrison in that order. Tony Gill (Toe H) was an impressive winner of the men’s 400 m in 48.6 s and Clay

Penrose (New Brighton) was second with another good run of 49.15. The men’s pole Vault was won by Derek McKee (Toe H) with a very satisfactory 4.20 m. McKee has been handicapped since before Christmas with a wrist injury suffered in a fall from a motor-cycle and now looks ready for the national events ahead. His brother. Kieran McKee (Toe H), a Commonwealth Games representative, once again failed to achieve a height and was not placed.