SIDELINES

Press, 26 December 1984, Page 18

SIDELINES

EVELYN ASHFORD, of the United States, who underlined her sprinting superiority after winning the 100 m gold medal at the Los Angeles Olympics by beating the East German world champion, Marlies Gohr, in a world record time in Zurich, has been acclaimed “women’s athlete of the year” by the influential magazine, “Track and Field News.” Second was the great quarter-miler, Marita Koch, and third was the world long jump champion, Heike Daute. Fourth was the new women's world record high jumper, Lyudmila Andonova, of Bulgaria, and fifth was the Olympic marathon champion, Joan Benoit (U.S.A.). . >■

THE LURE OF earning selection for the New Zealand rugby league tour of Britain and France late next year persuaded John Ackland, of Auckland, to take a more relaxed approach to his cricket this summer. Ackland has already achieved prominence in both his sports—- as a replacement second-row forward for the Kiwis in a test against Papua New Guinea in 1982, and as a spin bowler for Auckland in several Shell Series fixtures. He gave rugby league preference some weeks ago by announcing his cricket this season would be restricted to club level. But after taking eight wickets for only 20 runs for Eden-Roskill against Parnell last week-end Ackland conceded that he might change his mind if John Bracewell was required at international level.