Women Hurdlers May Set New Records

Press, Volume CV, Issue 30962, 19 January 1966, Page 10

Women Hurdlers May Set New Records

VVHEN the Russian all- ’ ’ rounder, Miss Irina Press, raced over the 80 metres hurdles last year to set a new world record of 10.3 sec, it was considered by most authorities on athletics that she had reached the ultimate in speed for this event. To suggest the possibility of 10.2 sec was probing into the realms of fantasy. But those who were fortunate enough to see the diminutive Australian sprinter. Miss Pam Kilborn, defeat the Russian girl by half a yard at Lancaster Park on Saturday will be forced to concec that there must be a chance, however remote, for the world record to be lowered to 10.2 sec. Miss Kilborn, who held the world record at 10.4 sec before Miss Press took it off her, won the race in the outstanding time of 10.5sec—the fastest time ever recorded in New Zealand for the event. Miss Press was a tenth of a second slower in 10.6, a time which equalled the existing New Zealand open record.

This was undoubtedly a tremendous performance, although there were few who realised just how good. These two wonderful athletes, the finest 80 metres hurdles exponents in the world today in spite of the fact that neither holds the Olympic title, had to contend with a brisk head wind blowing constantly into their faces at a rate of more than sft a second. Had conditions been calm, Miss Kilborn would very likely have gone close to equalling the world record. Her time would have at least been down to 10.4 sec, a performance which a few months ago would have been a world record.

This suggests that Miss Kilborn is in the form necessary to win back the world record while she is in New Zealand. She had not been in New Zealand two days when she raced at Lancaster Park and when she has settled in she can be expected to improve even

further under the intense competition that Miss Press can provide.

Miss Press was beaten, narrowly but quite convincingly. Yet hers was possibly just as impressive a performance as that of the Australian.

She is competing in her off-season, a time when she would normally be concentrating on a build-up for the summer months ahead. And, of course, it must be remembered that the 80 metres hurdles is not her main event. She considers that the pentathlon is her forte, an event in which she also holds the world record. In the next few weeks these two brilliant athletes, although unable to speak to one another because of language difficulties, promise to thrill spectators with their great rivalry. Their main object is to beat one another and yet the chance of a world record performance certainly cannot be discounted.