Archer poised for Olympic history

Press, 1 May 1984, Page 1

Archer poised for Olympic history

The Christchurch archer, Neroli Fairhall, is poised to make history at Los Angeles in July by becoming the first paraplegic to take part in the open Olympics. Ms Fairhall, aged 39, has been chosen with Ann Shurrock, of Ashburton, for the women’s team, and her selection will no doubt compensate for her disappointment at not being allowed to attend the Moscow Olympics four years ago.

Ms Fairhall is not daunted by the prospect of competing against the world’s best. She has the gold medal from the Brisbane Commonwealth Games to her credit as well as the gold from the Olympics for the Disabled held in the Netherlands in 1980; and she

has been the national titleholder for four of the last five years. The world championships last year provided Ms Fairhall with a chance to use the Olympic facilities at Long Beach, which she described as excellent. The Brisbane competition, in which Ms Fairhall recorded 2373 points, was, she said, hampered by the weather. “I’ll need over 2500 at L.A. to be in with a chance of a medal.” Ms Fairhall has tasted success in the United States before. In 1980 she won the visitors’ title at the American championships and finished fourth over all. Mrs Shurrock is the first Olympic representative from Ashburton.

She was inundated with congratulatory telephone calls last evening, including one from the president of the New Zealand Archery. Association, Mr Harold Thomson, of Southbridge. Mrs Shurrock, who is coached by her husband, David, has one wish: that the weather remains reasonably kind in the next couple of months while she continues her preparation for Los Angeles. For five Canterbury com--petitors, including Ms Fairhall, selection for Los Angeles is some consolation for missing the Moscow Olympics in 1980. The others who were chosen, but who did not compete in Moscow, were George Carnoutsos (men’s hockey), and Robyn Blackman, Shirley Haig, and Lesley Murdoch (women’s hockey). The three players Canterbury has in the men’s hockey team for Los Angeles is the smallest representation the province has had since the sport first entered the Olympics in Melbourne in 1956. It is a far cry from 1976 when New Zealand won the hockey gold medal in Montreal. All seven Canterbury men in that team played in the final. The boxing Barry family of Christchurch has been doubly honoured — Kevin Barry, jun, will compete in the light heavyweight division and his father, also Kevin, is the trainer. The situation is unique in

New Zealand boxing, and very few athletes in other sports have been accompanied by a parent in an official capacity at previous Games. “I don’t feel any different when it is Kevin in the ring,” said Mr Barry last evening. “I have taught him to box all these years, and know he is up to this standard. He can look after himself.” Mr Barry, jun, is the first Canterbury boxer chosen for an Olympic team since Norm Fisher competed as a lightweight at Berlin in 1936. Bret de Thier (now of Auckland), the Olympic yachting coach, was a Canterbury representative when he was tenth in the Finn class at Munich in 1972, and a reserve at Tokyo in 1964. For the first time since: the 1966 Commonwealth: Games in . Kingston, Jamaica, Canterbury is not represented in an Olympic or Commonwealth Games swimming team.

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