Willis in Masterton for drug free sport seminar

Beijing Olympic 1500m bronze medallist Nick Willis will be in Masterton next Tuesday to support a "Drugs in Sport" seminar being run by the Auckland-based Drug Free Sport Agency.
Organiser, Masterton athletics coach Mark Harris, believes the seminar could be the first of its kind to be held in the Wairarapa and hopes it will attract a big attendance from all sporting codes operating in the region.
"It's a great chance for our elite players and coaches to learn first hand what is involved in the drug testing process but anybody interested is welcome to come along, we won't turn anyone away," Harris said, adding the seminar would get underway at 6.30pm at a venue still to be finalised.
Harris said the Wairarapa was blessed by having a number of young sports people currently representing New Zealand, or with the potential to do so, and it was important they kept themselves aware of what medications were drug free, and what weren't.
"There is always the danger of them taking something which does not fit the criteria and seminars like this are helpful in advising what they can take, and what they can't," he said.
"Obviously it always pays to check with your doctor too but having a bit of inside knowledge yourself has to be a plus as well."
Harris said the athletics fraternity would also be taking advantage of Willis's presence by inviting him to spend 30 minutes or so before the seminar talking with the area's top track athletes as part of their normal training session at the Pugh Sports Bowl.