High jump record under threat tomorrow

Press, 9 December 1983, Page 12

High jump record under threat tomorrow

By

ROD DEW

The new holder of the New Zealand high jump record. Roger Te Puni, of Wellington, has been given special permission to compete in the annual triangular track and field contest between Canterbury, Otago and Southland at Queen Elizabeth II Park tomorrow. Te Puni, a Commonwealth Games representative at Brisbane last year, has his sights fixed firmly on the 2.26 m qualifying height for the forthcoming Los Angeles Olympics. And he realises that he will find no stronger competition in New Zealand than in the senior event tomorrow.

His two chief opponents will be the Canterbury representatives, Terry Lomax and Bill Boyd, who have both cleared 2.10 m this season. Close behind them will be Chris Trabing, of Otago, who has a personal best of 2.14 m and who is also looking for the big leap which will put him on the road to greatness. Some months ago Te Puni indicated that he thought an Olympic qualifying height was possible, and few took him seriously. However, a 2.16 m leap indoors in October and a superb New Zealand resident record leap of 2.17 m in Auckland a fortnight ago have left former cynics with a new perspective of his ability. In some respects, Te Puni will be putting his new status as New Zealand’s highest-ever high jumper on the line. Lomax, who cemented his place in athletics history by becoming the first to clear 7ft in the event, is obviously still capable of rising to great heights, and he is never better than when under pressure. Te Puni may have to think in terms of at least

2.15 m if he is to win. Lomax held the New Zealand record at this height until Te Puni’s recent effort eclipsed it, but the tall Old Boys all-rounder always felt that he could have improved on this. Although he is now concentrating on the decathlon, Lomax cannot be discounted as a challenger for the national high jump title this summer and Te Puni should not consider his New Zealand record safe.

Boyd, too, has the potential to go much higher, along with several other leading Canterbury jumpers not selected for tomorrow’s contest. The outcome of the event is by no means certain, although all the ingredients are there for a new national record. Another feature will be

the first meeting of Canterbury’s rival 400 m hurdlers, Wayne Paul and Murray Cumberpatch. Paul took Cumberpatch’s national title and record last year, and the former Aucklander is keen to get both back. They have very different approaches to the event. Paul’s training is based on strength; Cumberpatch’s on speed. Because of this, their rivalry is of unusual interest.

Both Paul and Cumberpatch will have the Olympic qualifying time of 50.14 s in mind when they line up

tomorrow, although recent form suggests that this sort of pace is more likely later in the season. Mary O’Connor, who is a candidate for the Olympic team in the marathon, will step out over 3000 m tomorrow. This event is much too short for her, although it will take a first-class performance to beat her. Margaret Walker will be her Canterbury partner, although there is a possibility that the two New Zealand representatives, Anne Marie Tweedie and Sara Harnett, will have recovered from the world road championships in California and will want to run. They have been included as reserves.