Marathon hurdle for Moller

Press, 23 September 1988, Page 21

Marathon hurdle for Moller

PA Seoul The New Zealand marathoner, Lorraine Moller, sets out to justify her controversial late selection when she opens the New Zealand athletic team’s Olympic programme today. In addition Christine Pftzinger will compete in the heats of the 3000 metres in the opening session of the nine-day programme. Moller and the 10,000 m runner, Christine McMiken, were added to the team late last month when neither had passed the qualifying standards laid down by the amateur athletic association. The selection system has since been criticised by athletes and officials with Moller and McMiken caught in the crossfire. Further insults to Moller came from the leading medal contender, Lisa Martin, of Australia, who expressed surprise at Moller’s selection and dismissed the New Zealander as a non entity in pre-race calculations.

The New Zealand coach, John Davies, said the jibes had provided a lot of motivation for Moller and expected them to add an edge to the' 32-year-old’s performance. Mr Davies said Moller was capable of a medal and that it would be “a delightful thing” if she could pull one off. On Wednesday the pair went over the 26-mile course that runs along the Han River and through the south-east suburbs of Seoul. “It is a tough course,” Davies said. “There are a number of small hills and not a lot of flat running.” Portugal’s Rosa Mota, Martin and Grete Waitz, of Norway, are the leading contenders Mota crushed opponents in last year’s world championships in Rome with a brillant frontrunning display, winning in 2 hours 25 minutes and 17 seconds. This year she won the Boston marathon in 2:25.05.