N.Z. wrestlers confident of big medal haul

Press, 16 July 1986, Page 64

N.Z. wrestlers confident of big medal haul

By

KIP BROOK,

of NZPA, in Edinburgh

With just 9 days before the Xlllth Commonwealth Games begin, New Zealand’s medal hopes have risen sharply and not just because of the African boycott and threatened withdrawal of the Indian team.

The New Zealand wrestlers arrived at the Games village yesterday confidently predicting a bag of medals after their successful European cam-

paign. The New Zealand rowers, cyclists, boxers and women middle distance runners have already been tipped to win

most of New Zealand’s medals. The wrestling, coach Kevin McLaughlin, said

that all six of his wrestlers had emerged from the three week tour as serious medal contenders.

“It’s. tragic if the Indians pull out not just to these Games but to the Commonwealth movement itself,” he said. “Wrestling has already been hit by the Nigerian and Kenyan boycott.”

However, New Zealand’s wrestlers believe the Indians were not considered the biggest threat to their medal chances. “You can never underestimate the Indian wrestlers but we were not really worried about them this time,” Mr McLaughlin said. "The Canadians will be the toughest nation at the Games. They will pick up most of the golds. “But our guys have been training for these Games for two years and we have not taken them lightly.”

The tough competition in Europe had thrust the team into realistic medal contention, said Mr McLaughlin. The wrestlers continued

their dramatic improvement yesterday with impressive displays in the international Challenge Cup of Great Britain at Manchester.

Shane Stannett, of Te Awamutu, won a silver medal in the 52kg division with an aggressive per-

formance. The Brisbane silver medallist, Steven Reinsfield, of Auckland, and

Grant Parker, of Carterton, finished fourth in their classes. Zane Coleman, of Paraparaumu, injured his knee and was forced to withdraw. Parker and Robert Algie of Featherston were

placed in an earlier meeting at Salzburg, Austria. “Our guys have had 15 matches since we left home at the end of June and that’s more than we get in a full season in New Zealand,” said the team manager Brian Stannett. Wrestling does not start until July 30 and Mr Stannett said the luck of the draw could play a big part In New Zealand’s chances. “If we do not draw the Canadians early on, our hopes will really jump," he said.

The New Zealand swimming and track and field contingent also arrived at the village yesterday. Once they had completed the laborious ac-

creditation process, many of the athletes — including Anne Audaln — took to Edinburgh’s cobbled streets for light training runs.

Audain will not defend her 3000 m title but will be favoured to win the 10,000 m.

Most of the athletes will contest an international meeting in Birmingham at the week-end.

All the swimmers arrived yesterday with the exception of the United States-based butterfly star, Anthony Mosse. Mosse is one of the few world-ranked New Zealand swimmers and with

any luck should win two butterfly medals. Gary Hurting, the 1978 Edmonton 200 m backstroke gold medallist, who has been suffering tendonitis in the shoulder, will train today and should be fully fit when competition begins next week. Other New Zealand competitors who trained yesterday were the rowers who had their first workout on the water at Strathclyde and the men’s bowls team rolled up at an Edinburgh club.