Vicki Paine wasn't anticipating selection in the New Zealand athletics team to contest the Oceania championships in Saipan from June 25 to 28. So the 16-year-old Wairarapa College student was "thrilled to bits" when she heard she would be representing her country in the under-18 girls 200m and 400m events, andprobably in at least one relay as well. The modest Paine said her main objective would be to learn from the experience and do the "best I can" but her Masterton coach Mark Harris is adamant she is a realistic medal winning prospect, particularly in the 400m where she has a best time of 57.62secs and the distance over which she placed third in her division at the recent national track and field championships in Auckland. "?f she runs to her potential a medal is certainly not out of the question........and it could happen in the 200m too,"" Harris said. "She has the strength and the speed to do it, it just depends on her peaking at the right time." Speed work will play a big part in Paine's training leading up to the Oceania championships and any refinements required to her technique will also come under the microscope. Also she will be spending some time in a sauna so as to her help get used to the warm 30 degree plus temperatures she is likely to strike in Saipan. "?t's going to be very hot and she needs to be be able to cope with the heat ,anything we can do to help in that respect will be valuable," Harris said. Tactically, Paine expects to stick with the usual formula of going out fast and looking to maintain her momentum right through the course of her races. "It's the way that seems to suit me best so I guess there wont be any changes there,"she said.' Coach Harris believes Paine has the capabilities to represent New Zealand at world junior championship level over 400m.For that to happen she has to lower her time to the qualifying mark of 55.5secs and, as Harris is quick to point out, she still has two years to achieve that objective. "It's within her scope, no doubt about that,"Harris said.
