Rogers, Gilchrist included

Press, 12 March 1984, Page 36

Rogers, Gilchrist included

PA ' Auckland Tony Rogers and Michael Gilchrist, the beaten placegetters in yesterday’s 1500 m at the New Zealand track and field championships at Mt Smart, have been included in a team of 15 to compete in the Australian championships. Gilchrist has yet to better the Olympic qualifying standard of 3min 38s, but his second place ahead of Rogers might have helped his chances of selection if he can manage the time in Melbourne. All other Olympic hopefuls, including the longjumper, Stephen Walsh, the

800 m runner, Peter Peerless, Kim Robertson and the two outstanding performers at the championships, Lyn Massey and John StapyltonSmith, were also named. The team for Australia is: Michael Gilchrist (Canterbury), Kim Robertson (Auckland), Peter Peerless (Auckland), Stephen Walsh (Auckland), Lyn Massey (Waikato), Terry Genge (Waikato), Lynette Kay (Canterbury), John StapyltonSmith (Canterbury), Ann McKenzie (Wellington), Murray Gutry (Waikato), Darren Dale (Canterbury), Jayne Mitchell (Auckland), Roger Te Puni (Wellington), Trudy Painter (Otago), Tony Rogers

(Waikato). At the same time, the first national training squad was named. Each athlete will receive a training grant of $l2OO a year as well as a tracksuit and other equipment. The squad has a budget of $40,000 for the first year and will have other athletes added in coming weeks. The squad will have a training week-end in May and another in June. Members of the Olympic team not in the squad will also be invited to attend. The initial squad is: Gilchrist, Peerless, StapyltonSmith, Walsh, Genge, Mitchell,

Robertson, Derek Froude (Wellington), Peter O’Donoghue (Auckland), Chris Rogers (Waikato), Te Puni, Sue Bruce (Canterbury), Noeline Hodgins (Auckland), Glenda Hughes (Auckland), Dianne Rodger (Waikato). Seven other athletes who will be associated with the squad — John Walker (Auckland), Mike O’Rourke (Auckland), Peter Renner (Canterbury), Anne Audain (Auckland), Paul Ballinger (Taranaki), Mary O’Connor (Canterbury) and Rod Dixon (Auckland) — are likely to receive Sports Foundation grants and have not been offered assistance by the association.