Javelin aimed at World Cup

Press, 29 June 1985, Page 80

Javelin aimed at World Cup

The javelin gold medallist at the Pacific Conference Games in California last week-end, John StapyltonSmith, returned to Christchurch yesterday tired but elated, and with his. sights on a new target — the World Cup track and field meeting in Canberra in October. His world-class effort of 87.28 m in the Games leaves no doubt that he will be included in the Oceania team when it is announced in about three weeks. An opportunity to travel to Europe for further competition after the Games was abandoned on financial grounds. “I am going to have a few days off, and then I will get straight into my buildup for the World cup,” he said. At this stage, he is enthusiastic about his chances of doing well. “Some of the other competitors in the World Cup will be coming off a European season and going a bit flat. If I can hit my peak at the right time, then I will have a good chance of success.”

His object is to throw more than 90m at the world event, a distance he now feels is within his capability. Stapylton-Smith's winning throw at the Pacific Games came in the third round, and “it felt the worst of all” his throws. “The technique was not great. The javelin went low, like a dart. I thought it was about to drop, and a little gust of wind must have got under it. As soon as I heard it was over 87m, I knew nobody was going to beat it.”

An earlier throw went 80.88 m, and even this was better than his recent form. Stapylton-Smith caught a severe cold before leaving New Zealand. In an international competition in Vancouver a week before the Games he could do no better than 75m, and was beaten by the Canadian champion, Mike Maholovich.

“I was very worried after this, but I think it made me concentrate more,” he said. The bronze medallist in the women’s 100 m hurdles, Lynette Stock, of Canterbury, was also among the 18 athletes who returned to New Zealand yesterday. She broke the Canterbury record twice while overseas, leaving it at 13.67 s with her performance in the Games 100 m hurdles final. “I am quite delighted,” she said. “Everything fell into place on the right day. I knew it was going to be tough, and I didn’t think I would get any sort of medal.” Mrs Stock was not happy with her times in preliminary meetings. Even 13.995, a new Canterbury record, at Vancouver was less than satisfactory.