Hurdler’s Quest To Regain Record

Press, Volume CV, Issue 30958, 14 January 1966, Page 11

Hurdler’s Quest To Regain Record

The Australian woman athlete. Miss Pam Kilborn, arrived in Christchurch yesterday with one aim in mind—to regain her world 80 metres hurdles record from the Russian, Miss Irina Press. Her first opportunity will be at Lancaster Park tomorrow when she races against her Russian rival in the Rothmans sponsored athletics meeting. Miss Kilborn, who until three months ago held the world record for 80 metres hurdles, will spend two weeks in New Zealand competing against Miss Press as the Russian team continues its Dominion tour. Drastically Reduced The times for this distance have been drastically reduced in the last two years. From 10.6 sec it fell to 10.5, jointly held by several athletes, including Miss Press, before Miss Kilborn lowered it to 10.4. The ultimate for the event was considered to be 10.3 — and three months ago Miss Press achieved it. But there is every indication that the experts will soon have to revise their opinion.

“In the right conditions. I think I could do it in 10.2," said Miss Kilborn. "1 am here to race against Irena, but if the record comes, it comes." Five weeks ago Miss Kilborn ran the distance in 10.3 sec, and although the time could not be considered as equalling the world record because it was wind assisted, she did it in local competition and ran a solo race. More recently still, she recorded 10.6 sec into a twometre head-wind.

Her training schedule is at present aimed at reaching peak form for the Australian championships and the Jamaican Empire Games trials. Miss Kilborn will be running on both grass and cinder tracks in her four meetings—at Christchurch, Invercargill, Dunedin, and Wellington. She has no preference for either, as in Melbourne she runs on cinderbased grass. She is a primary school teacher in Melbourne.