The Rivals

Press, Volume CV, Issue 30959, 15 January 1966, Page 15

The Rivals

Only very rarely do women’s events attract the glamour at athletics meetings. At Lancaster Park today two worldclass runners will be the exceptions. They are the 80 metres hurdles world recordholder, Irena Press, of Russia (left), and her Australian rival, Pam Kilborn, of Australia (below). Over the next fortnight these two hurdlers will pit their strength and experience against each other in four meetings, starting at Lancaster Park today. Miss Press holds the current world record for 80 metres hurdles, at 10.3 sec. She took it from Miss Kilborn, who had held it with 10.4 sec.

The news that the Russian team would be touring New Zealand, under the sponsorship of Rothmans, and that it included Irena Press, was like a red flag to a bull for the Australian, Miss Kilborn. This was her chance to win back that world record, to get below the mark of 10.3 sec And this may be one of the few remaining chances for Miss Kilborn or, for that matter. Miss Press to lower the 80 metres hurdles record. Many athletics officials consider that 80 metres is too short a distance for a satisfactory competition. and there has been much talk of increasing the run to 110 metres or 120 yards.