Athletics guru Harris a big supporter of artificial track

Masterton athletics guru Mark Harris was already a strong supporter of an artificial track being constructed at the Pugh Sports Bowl in Masterton when he travelled to Italy as manager of the New Zealand team at the world youth track and field championships.
And he has become even more enthusiastic after viewing action on a track similar to that being proposed for here at the championship venue of Bressanone, a township with a population about the same as that of Masterton.
"It was fantastic, couldn't have been better," Harris said of the Swiss-made facility which, interestingly enough, was coloured green rather than the traditional red, so that it blended in better with its surrounds from an environmental viewpoint.
So taken was Harris with the green colouring, in fact, that he wonders whether the Masterton surface should be the same, positioned as it would be at the Sports Bowl with its park-like look.
With six of the 17-strong Kiwi contingent - all aged between 15 and 17yrs - making finals at the Bressanone event, which drew athletes from 170 nations, Harris was "very pleased" with the results achieved, particularly in comparison to the previous youth championships when only two final spots had been obtained.
"We went over there hoping to be competitive and I think we can safely say we were," Harris said. "As always there were some disappointments but that is always going to happen at meets like this where the performance levels are so high."
The reaction of some of the athletes - Kiwi and otherwise - who failed to perform to their potential did leave Harris wondering, however, whether expectations from coaches and parents were too often playing on their minds.
"There were a lot of tears shed after some of the events and considering their age you have to ask whether some of the goals which were set were unrealistic," he said. "The more pressure you heap on athletes who are so young the harder it often is for them to perform to the best of their ability. It's very important the enjoyment factor is still there."
The best placing for the Kiwis actually came in the medley relay for boys which saw the first leg runners cover 100m, the second 200m, the third 400m and the fourth 400m.
But for a shoddy baton change and one of their runners being held up in traffic they might have come third.
For Harris himself his return to Masterton meant re-entering the employment market as his job as project manager for Active Wairarapa has been disestablished because of funding withdrawals.
Meanwhile, promising Carterton middle distance runner Tom Quinn, who is coached by Mark Harris, has done himself proud at the Down Under track and field meet across the Tasman.
The 14-year-old competed in the under-16 grade and despite battling a cold finished sixth in the 800m in a time of 2mins 10secs and seventh in the 1500m in 4mins 37secs.
Harris described Quinn's efforts as "very pleasing", particularly considering his health and the fact he had been forced to do a lot of his training in a gymnasium because the wet weather had made the grass surfaces unsuitable.