Athletics: Howard aims high at Games

By TERRY MADDAFORD

With the assurance that "the cheque is in the mail," high-jumper Glenn Howard's Olympic build-up is in full swing as he aims to be well beyond merely making up the numbers at Sydney 2000.

Ranked fourth equal on the early 2000 world list with his New Zealand record 2.30m at the national championships in March, Howard is even talking medals.

"At the last four Olympics 2.33m has won bronze," he said.

"I feel that is a realistic goal. We [Howard and coach Jovica Petrovich] are working on a new nine-stride run-up.

"This is two strides more than before but I'm doing it only because I'm stronger. My early training certainly indicates I can go higher."

The 24-year-old Aucklander was last season's surprise package when he leapt 2.26m to better his own New Zealand record.

He followed that with 2.28m to claim Olympic selection and ended his day's work with a staggering 2.30m.

All heights were comfortably cleared at the first attempt.

At the Olympics, Howard - and the rest - will need 2.28m to gain an automatic place in the final. But with a minimum of 12 jumpers to compete in the final, the qualifying height could be a centimetre or two lower.


Howard had initially planned an extensive offshore build-up, but lack of substantial funding has curtailed those plans.

The $3000 he is expecting from the New Zealand Sports Foundation, through Athletics New Zealand, will instead go towards a series of meetings and training opportunities in Australia.

Howard is hoping help from his Bays Cougars Club and the North Sport Academy will allow his coach to travel with him for some of the lead-up in Australia.

Sports Foundation executive director Chris Ineson said yesterday that the grants for athletes were being processed and the cheques should be posted within 24 or 48 hours.