A sweet boost for Lovelock cup bid

Sports bodies have been offered financial backing from Coca-Cola Amatil to buy a crystal glass cup presented to New Zealand running great Jack Lovelock at the 1936 Olympics.

The soft-drinks giant said yesterday it was prepared to cover in full a joint bid from New Zealand at an auction of the cup in Germany this weekend. Athletics New Zealand has expressed interest in making a bid with Lovelock's old school, Timaru Boys High, which has a large collection of his trophies, including the gold medal he won for his world-record 1500m run at the Berlin Olympics. The New Zealand Olympic Committee is also keen to be involved.

German auctioneer Agon Sportsworld estimates the cup's price at about $5200, but Athletics NZ spokesman Murray McKinnon fears interest indicated from collectors may push it above $10,000. The New Zealand organisations are keen to present a united front for the cup's delivery here.

Agon says the 3.6kg cup was too heavy for Lovelock to send back to New Zealand at the time, so he gave it to a 14-year-old German boy working at the Olympic Village. It has a Bohemian lead crystal lid and engravings, including a group of runners on one side and a German imperial eagle with a faint impression of a swastika above Olympic Rings on the rear.

Timaru Boys' High Rector Kevin O'Sullivan did not know whether the swastika may have made Lovelock shy of sending it home, but said he would have no problem displaying it as a tribute to a great sporting victory for New Zealand.

Coca-Cola Amatil spokeswoman Aimee Driscoll said her company was keen to support a bid in keeping with its sponsorship aim of motivating young people to be physically active.