Games Selection Not Simplified By Athletic Championships

Press, Volume CV, Issue 31004, 9 March 1966, Page 11

Games Selection Not Simplified By Athletic Championships

TF the New Zealand athletic selectors for the Jamaica Empire Games were hoping that the national track and field meeting would simplify their problems they must have been slightly dsiappointed. There were a number of world class performances but these were almost invariably from athletes who were virtually certain of selection before the championships. In several events the results and performances only served to complicate matters. L. R. Mills (shot and discus), J. L. Davies (mile and possibly three miles), W. D. Baillie (six miles), D. S. Norris (long and triple jumps), Mrs M. A. Stephen (880 yards), Mrs V. I. Young (shot and discus) and Miss B. Mathews (100 yards and 80 metres hurdles) all enhanced their chances of selection with sound performances in their specialist events. They could now quite reasonably start packing their bags. However, it would be quite

wrong te judge ability on times and distances alone. A. G. Steel, for example, showed the calibre of a true champion the way he overcame a leg injury and indifferent form to retain his 100 and 220 yards titles. His times were nothing sensational on the dead Rugby Park grass track yet it must be realised that they could well have been on the fringe of Empire Games standard on a hard, fast surface. D. W. Mackenzie was obviously not quite on his best form on the final day, although he still proved himself to be the fastest quarter-miler in the country by a comfortable margin. Had he been able to win the 100 yards title as well, as he was expected to do on recent form, he could have joined the certainties for Jamaica. Now he must

rely entirely on his quartermile ability and aim for a time below 48sec to ensure a trip. The possibility of a fourman relay team being sent must be considered. With Norris, who was third in the 100 yards and second in the 220 yards, in the team as a jumper, Mackenzie in as a quarter-miler, only Steel and one other have to be included to make up a team which could give a good account of itself. Miss B. Mathews convincingly won the women’s 100 yards and the 80 yards hurdles. Taking her previous form against the world record holder, Miss Irina Press (Russia), and Pam Kilborn (Australia) into account, she is now an obvious choice for the team. Her times in the championships were, nevertheless, nothing outstanding when compared with world performances. The three miles must have provided the selectors with a minor headache. I. Studd won the event but it took a photograph to separate him from B. Jones at the finish. Davies is already a strong candidate for this event at Jamaica and with N. I. Scott proving extremely injury prone, Studd and Jones could be in the running. The problem is how to place one above the other. Jones did all the donkey work, leading the entire distance, while Studd relied on his sprint finish to carry him through. And Jones would probably have improved his time considerably if he had had some assistance with the pacemaking. Studd seemed right at his limit. Nevertheless, he won and that must stand for something, especially since the time, 13min 24sec, was the fastest the title had ever been won in.

A series of upsets in the women’s long jump also provided its problems for the selectors. Miss J. Wilkins, who started the season as a strong candidate to fill the long jump position in the team, must surely have slipped from favour in spite of her undoubted ability. She could do no better than finish third in the championship with a best jump of 18ft 6in, well below her best.

Her closest rival for the position, Miss V. Gilmour, did even worse. She finished fourth with 18ft sin. Both girls are capable of distances approaching 20ft, well up to Empire Games standard, and yet unless they turn on some spectacular performances in the next few weeks they may both find themselves left at home. It would be a great pity if Wellington’s B. J. Everitt missed out on selection because he failed to win the six miles title. He showed a great appreciation of race tactics and at one stage forced Baillie to take a lap with a surprise change of pace. He did much of the pace-making and Baillie, a runner of world class, was only just able to edge him out to the sprint.

Everitt won a lot of respect when he started for the three miles the following day. After such a gruel-

ling contest it was a lionhearted effort, one which clearly demonstrated his tremendous stamina and powers of recovery. He finally finished fifth after staying with the leading bunch for most of the distance. One of the few athletes who forced himself from obscurity into consideration for the team was the 19-year-old Southland road walker, T. Mayhew. His 20 kilometre road walk win in Ihr 39min 17.8 sec was the fastest recorded in New Zealand for nine years and on the fringe of world class. M. Walls increased his chances slightly when he won the 120 yards hurdles in 14.9 sec, Canterbury record time. If he can get down to 14.5 sec, a time certainly not beyond him, he must be seriously considered. Sixteen-year-old Miss S. A. Flynn’s recent javelin throw of 155 ft 9in placed her third on the Empire Games ranking list. But she still has to prove that this was no isolated performance before she can consider her chances of selection good. Her title winning throw of 133 ft 3in was excellent although not in world class; P. R. Welsh’s fine steeplechase win in Bmin 48.8 sec places him in a strong position for consideration. With a New Zealand record of Bmin 41.3 sec awaiting ratification, he would have a fine chance of a place at the Empire Games. His times in New Zealand have been set in virtually solo runs. The close competition he would get at Jamaica could boost his performances well into world class. G. Phillpot added to his chances with such a convincing win in the half-mile final. His time of Imin 51.6 sec was an excellent one, although one below Imin

50sec in the next few weeks would certainly help his case. M. Jefferies, with his championship high jump performance of 6ft 6in, also entered the list of possibles for selection. There were also many other very impressive performances. The main question the selectors will have to face is where to draw the line. A national championship win is certainly a big step in the right direction. However, any athlete seeking selection must provide at least two times, distances or heights within reach of the Empire Games standards. For many, the next few weeks will prove vital.