Athletics High Hopes

Let's hope this Easter Victoria will lose the athletic wooden spoon it won last year at Auckland. With a number of promising freshers and, of course, the inevitable "veteran" competitors, Victoria should be a stronger team than in past years.

The Nelson athlete and Wellington representative, Alan Osborne, was second in the 440 yards National Championship this year and should have little difficulty in winning that title at Easter.

He will also be the mainstay of both the 110 and 440 relays.

Graham Hall-Watson, also from Nelson, could gain a place in the 100 yards sprint and the pole vault. A promising middle distance runner is Heinz Oettli who, although in his first senior year, has run some fast half-miles. He has represented Waikato.

Mark Harris and Andy Larkin will be a strong pair in perhaps the toughest race of any athletic meeting, the 440 yards hurdles. The former represented Wellington in this event in the National Championships. Doug Cosh will be a great asset in the javelin as he is a former New Zealand University representative.

Two of the women competitors who should gain places are Gillian Davies and Ginny Ward, both good all-rounders. Going by last year's tournament standard those two will be fighting each other for first place in the long jump, both are up to the 17 feet mark.

The team has a number of Wellington representatives amongst its numbers: Alan Osborne, Graham Hall-Watson, Mark Harris.

Doug Cosh and Paul von Dadelszen.

The team is:

Men: 100 yards—G. Hall-Watson, B. R. Smythe; 220 yards—G. Hall-Watson, J. Pearce: 440 yards—A. Osborne, A. Larkin: 880 yards—H. Oettli, C. Murray; 1 Mile—H. Oettli, J. O'Connell; 3 Miles—R. Clark, D. Eddy: 120 yards Hurdles—B. Collins, P. von Dadelszen; 220 yards Hurdles—A. M. Harris. P. von Dadelszen; 440 yards Hurdles—A. M. Harris, A. Larkin: High Jump—J. Ridge, P. von Dadelszen; Long Jump—C. Corry, B. Collins; Pole Vault—G. Hall-Watson, J. Whitcombe; Hop. Step & Jump—C. Corry, J- Adams; Shot Put—J. K. Fuimaono, W. J. Gould; Discus—W. J. Gould. J. Ridge; Javelin—D. J. Cosh; Hammer—P. Jacobsen, W.J.Gould; 110 x Relay—G. Hall-Watson, A. Osborne, J. Pearce, A. M. Harris. B. R. Smythe; 440 x Relay—A. Osborne, A. Larkin. G. Hall-Watson, J. Pearce.

Women: 100 yards—V. M. Ward. G. Davies; 220 yards—V. M. Ward, J. Corry; 440 yards—A. McHugh; High Jump—A. McHugh. G. Davies; Long Jump—V. M. Ward. G. Davies; Shot Put—G. Davies J. Corry: Discus—J. Corry; 80m Hurdles—G. Davies. J. Corry; 110 yards Relay—V. M. Ward. G. Davies. J. Corry. C. Kerr.

Among those representing other universities are hurdler Roger Johnson, sprinter Don McKenzie and highjumper Bill Spiers.

The meeting will be held at the Basin Reserve on Saturday and Monday. April 13 and 15, both sessions starting at 2pm.

—Sports Correspondent.