Veterans set records

Press, 2 April 1988, Page 25

Veterans set records

' U'p! Sever il competitors at , the nat onal [Carnival of Veteran Sport which started in Christchurch yesterdjy gave Good Friday ad led meaning for themsel /es when they set New Zeeland i records. The I indefatigable 'l Derek Ifurnbiill (Invercar- j gill), who scooped up six gold medals at the Iworid veteran championships in Melbourne last December, cantered to a record!for i athletes? age<i 60 id 64 years jin [the sOOOm at Queen Elizabeth II Park. | ! H' Turnpull [ whacked nearly (half a minute of the record of;l7min 27.14 s set two years ago. Turnbull’s time yesterday! was 17min 6.95. [ |[ Starting in the same heat as the 50 to 54-year-old athjetes, [Turnbull was dragged through by jJoe Cowie (Leith, Dunedin) and Jim ! Macdonald (Olympic, Christchurch).

.! . < 4 k 0 The 5000 m heats were the only track, and field; event held yesterday, but two other national records were set Prue Tayior (University, Canterbury) took almost 20s off the 40 years and over] 5000 m record with a time of 17mln ; 18.55. The previous record of 17min 38.22 s was held by the accomplished Bev Shingles and [ was set [ seven years ago. j The other record was set by Ron [ Robertson (Gisborne) with a time of 15min 10.4 s in the 45 to 49 years age-group. The time bettered his own mark set a year ago byj 5.65. i Next to the athletic! stadium the ! swimming i started with a record in ! the first race. ; ! Kim Harker (Hamilton), a triathlete and surf life-saver, set a record in the men’s 25 to 29 years ; 400 m freestyle. He recorded 4min 36.09 s which snipped 4.87 s I off the old j

! i record held by Ray Barding (Levin). . Jjjj , Harker, was in talented company! and I had to battle ~ to win i the,; heat Surrounding him were Geoff Walker I (Christchurch) a triple New Zealand representative,' ; in i swimming; kayaking ' and ! i surf life-sairtdg; -i I. Laqs , Burner (Dunedin), A New . ■ Zealand surf [life-saving ; 11 representative; [and J Brett < Naylor,, l'a ! New Zealand ; i I Olympic I swimming repre-! [ sentative in 1916. : [!;■■-( ■’ ' [ Harker ; ’ wasi a I littlie J miffed to find he i was classified [ in I the !prqi-J i' gramme as a female. He; j made a mild [protest to’ i the organisers; but iiwasl ! told it was too late to alter? the programme. He was jokingly offered ad on-? the-spot operation, 'jbut' , chose the alternative — a week-end of good natured ribbing from : ellow veterans.