First athletics ‘test’ to Australia

Press, 20 January 1986, Page 23

First athletics ‘test’ to Australia

PA Auckland Outstanding sprinting and great form in field events paved the way for the Australian secondary school track and field team to easily head New Zealand in the first of two international meetings at Mount Smart Stadium, Auckland, on Saturday. In the boys’ 100 m and 200 m Mark Garner headed Troy Bennett in both, giving Australia maximum points. In the girls’ sprints, Australia’s Kim Wilson took the short race and Melinda Gainsford the 200 m. One of the best races came late in the programme in the boys’ 400 m. An Australian, Cameron Orr, led the strong field into the straight and held off the challenge from New Zea-

land secondary school champion Scott Bowden until Bowden hit the front 30m from the line.

Then, with victory in his sight, Bowden succumbed to the fast-finishing John Paini (Australia) who snatched a thrilling win in a smart 48.125. Kim Petersen broke some of the Australian domination by taking the hurdles double. Andrea Stuart led an all-New Zealand finish in the 1500 m, winning in 4:34.05s from Lisa Gabrielle Blythe who took the girls’ 200 m track walk in 8:55.455. She was more than 200 m clear of her team-mate, Alenya Narbey, with the New Zealanders well beaten. The boys’ walk, over 3000 m, gave Sean Sullivan,

and New Zealand, the first win on the day’s track programme. Sullivan’s winning time of 13:12.15s easily broke Murray Day’s national colts record of 13:34.25. As expected, Gavin Lovegrove was in a class of his own in the javelin. Throwing the senior javelin, Lovegrove unleashed a tremendous 80m throw to again better both the Commonwealth Games and world junior championship qualifying standard. Lovegrove was more than 15m clear of the opposition. Australia’s Steve Wilson just as easily won the pole vault with his 4.8 m effort. With a personal best of 5.11 m, a Commonwealth Games qualifying height, Wilson won comfortably.

The girls’ high jump was won by a New Zealander, Tracy Phillips, but only after a 90-minute battle with an Australian, Gai Kapernick. Both cleared I.Bom and could not be separated on a countback. The bar was then lowered and raised a number of times before Phillips won at 1.75 m. Wayne Edgeler won the 200 m steeplechase in 5:53.14s to break his own New Zealand colts record and get within 8s of the qualifying time for the world junior championships. Martin Holmes completed a New Zealand one-two in chasing Edgeler home.

The two teams will compete in a meeting at Hamilton on Wednesday and return to Mount Smart for the second test next Saturday.