PROFESSIONAL ATHLETIC COACH FOR HAWKE’S BAY

Evening Star, Issue 26185, 21 August 1947, Page 5

PROFESSIONAL ATHLETIC COACH FOR HAWKE’S BAY

(N.-Z.P.A. Special Correspondent— Copyright.)

LONDON, August 18. An athlete who has been performing 60 well in England this summer that he is being considered as a British Olympic “possible” by Jack Crump, manager of Great Britain’s Olympic team, has accepted an appointment as professional coach to the Hawke’s Bay Centre of the New Zealand Amateur Athletic Association, lie is Frank Sharpley, aged 33, an Irish-born New Zealander, who will take up his post immediately on arrival in New Zealand early in October. liis last appearance as an amateur athlete will be when he competes at. Paris in the 110 metres hurdles event as a member of the British team in the International Universities’ Games from August 27 to 31. New Zealand’s low and high hurdles champion from 1934 to 1940, and a member of New Zealand’s team at the 1938 Empire Games in Sydney, Sharpley was reaching the top grade in international competition when the war came. In 1940 lie joined the New Zealand Army, and, when a captain in the 25th Infantry Battalion, he was taken prisoner at El Alainein. He #emained a prisoner at Oflag 79 (Brunswick) until released by the advancing Americans in 1945. During that time he turned his leisure hours to sketching, and has become so adept at figure drawing that his illustrations will be used for a new athletics book being prepared by Geoffrey Dyson, Great Britain’s national athletics coach. Sharpley’s illustrations contrast' the correct and incorrect technique. in starting, high and long jumping, hurdling, etc. Sharpley came to England on being released from the prison camp, and was .granted a scholarship at Loughborough College. After a two years’ course, recently completed, he passed out with a diploma of physical training. Last May he competed in the England universities championships and won the 120yds hurdles event in 15.9 see, defeating Prince Adedoyin, the Nigerian international athlete, in doing so. In the English championships he reached the final in an international field.