Team Leaves In Top Form

Press, Volume CVI, Issue 31119, 23 July 1966, Page 17

Team Leaves In Top Form

(New Zealand Press Association) AUCKLAND. New Zealand’s Empire Games athletes proved they were at peak form with several outstanding performances in the final training sessions.

The full team reported fit and well before it left on its long journey from Auckland last evening.

time trial in Imin 32sec. Miss Stephen, Tokyo bronze medallist in the 800 metres, said it was her best-ever solo run. “I have never felt better than I do now, and that includes at Tokyo,” she added. Not to be outdone, the veteran women’s field exponent, Mrs Young, put the shot 52ft and threw the discus 157 ft. Her national records are 54ft sJin and 176 ft sin. She won the Empire shot put title at Perth in 1962 with 49ft lljin. Tait twice threw the discus 180 ft—only six feet short of his best. Swimmers Confident The swimming team manager, Mr J. Donaldson, was equally enthusiastic about the form of his squad. “They have done absolutely everything asked of them and done it well. I’m pleased with them in every possible way," he said. The shooters were equally adamant they would do well. The manager, Mr J, M. Ross (Wellington), said: “They’ll hold their own with whatever the opposition produces.”

In their final work-outs, the three Canterbury women athletes, Miss D. Charteris, Mrs M. A. M. Stephen, and Mrs V. I. Young—and Otago’s R. D. Tait, produced some outstanding efforts. The 19-year-old Miss Charteris, who has been competing for only two years, put the shot 48ft—only Ilin outside her best —and hurled the discus 164 ft. Her discus throw was the second best in the Empire this year. It exceeded her personal best by nearly six feet. Immediately afterwards, Miss Stephen ran a 660-yard