International athletics for city in 1985

Press, 4 October 1984, Page 40

International athletics for city in 1985

By

ROD DEW

A major international track and field meeting, featuring some of the world’s leading middle distance runners, will be held at Queen Elizabeth II Park on February 23.

Between 10 and 15 overseas athletes, and the majority of New Zealand’s foremost international and national performers, are expected to take part in the meeting, which will be the first of three in New Zealand. The second will be at Wanganui on February 27 and the final meeting at Auckland’s Mount Smart Stadium on March 2. “We are absolutely delighted,” the president of the Canterbury Athletic Centre, Mr Ray Rose, said last evening when confirming the Christchurch meeting. “We were very disappointed to miss out on the international series last season, and are looking forward to holding another major event at Queen Elizabeth II Park.”

A mile race, designed to help John Walker achieve his ambition of becoming the first person to run 100 sub-4min. miles is already pencilled into the programme, which will be held in the late afternoon. Walker, just returned from his post-Olympic campaign in the United States, Canada and Europe, leads the race to the century of sub-4min. miles with 91 - five ahead of his American friend and rival, Steve Scott.

The international series

held last season, which excluded Canterbury, was not the success of previous series, and there seemed a strong possibility that it would not be held this season. However, the knowledge that some leading athletes are interested in coming to New Zealand has helped the promoters, Global Sports, of Auckland, decide to go ahead. Planning is now at an advanced stage. No names of athletes have yet been released, although it is likely that Scott, a regular visitor to New Zealand in recent years, and the world 5000 m champion, Eamonn Coghlan, of Ireland, will be among them. Walker, back home in Auckland yesterday, confirmed that both were keen to race in New Zealand.

Another probable starter is the bronze medal winner in the 1500 m at the Los Angeles Olympics, Jose Abascal, of Spain. “There is a lot of interest by a number of the world’s top runners in coming to New Zealand after the United States indoor circuit is over,” Walker said, through the New Zealand Press Association. “This would be an ideal time for several international meetings here because you could

guarantee that the athletes would be in good racing shape.” Walker indicated that the 1980 and 1984 Olympic 1500 m gold medallist, Sebastian Coe, had also shown some interest in making a short competitive trip to New Zealand this southern summer.

The former world high jump record-holder, Dwight Stones, of the United States, is reported as being keen to come to New Zealand. If invited, he is also prepared to coach. Stones was fourth in the Los Angeles Olympic high jump, and would provide a great incentive for New Zealand’s growing band of improving high jumpers. The international meeting in Christchurch will more than compensate for the loss of the test match between under 20 teams from England and New Zealand. This was scheduled to be held at Queen Elizabeth II Park on February 2, but the England team’s commitment to the Australian Games has resulted in the cancellation of the Christchurch meeting. The England team will now compete only at Hamilton on February 6 and Auckland on February 9.