Boxer Barry bikes for Barnardo’s

Press, 3 November 1984, Page 8

Boxer Barry bikes for Barnardo’s

Kevin Barry has been boxed in again and awarded a medal for his efforts. This time the win was achieved on a BMX bike in a celebrity cycle race in Cathedral Square and not in the boxing ring where he excelled at the Los Angeles Olympic Games; The cycle race was arranged to start Carnival Week, organised to combine the festive activities associated with the New Zealand Trotting Cup meeting at Addington Raceway, the New Zealand Cup meeting at Riccarton, and the Canterbury Agricultural and Pastoral Show. Personalities from the news media, sports bodies, and the main organisations involved raced through the

City Mall in quest of $5OO which would be given to the charity the winner represented.

Barry, who represented the Barnardo’s organisation, was boxed in as the competitors grappled for their cycles but with help from his team mate, Rod Latham, he was quickly among the leaders. Other prominent at the turnround at the Bridge of Remembrance were the All Blacks, Jock Hobbs and Wayne Smith, and the news media representatives, Barry White and Dave Cannan.

“Miss Canterbury,” Debbie Kingsland, showed good form but dropped off the pace to finish well back in the field. Radio New Zealand’s Bill

Southgate started slowly, a tactic which proved costly when he missed the first set of traffic lights at the Colombo Street-Hereford Street intersection.

Barry’s win was also eventful. “I saw these tall men in blue uniforms waving me down but I didn’t have time to stop,” he said.

He faced an inquiry at the end of the race because he did not put his bike in the right place before running across the finishing line but the stewards decided not to allow the protest.

The race commentator, John May, said there was no truth in the rumour that the stewards would officiate at the next Olympic Games.