Athletics: Olympic discus mark elusive despite title

By TERRY MADDAFORD

CHRISTCHURCH - Ian Winchester will have to wait until another day in another country if he is to get the 63.50m discus target he needs to represent New Zealand at the Sydney Olympics.

While Winchester (Counties-Manukau) comfortably retained his title on the first day of the adidas New Zealand championships at QEII Stadium last evening, his 58.96m winning effort was well off the qualifying standard and his 63.74m best.

"I should have been throwing at least three metres further," said Winchester. "I certainly haven't given up [trying to qualify] but I will have to wait now until I go to the States in April/May or perhaps until the Aussie trials in August."

In the best race on the opening day, Richard Potts successfully defended his 5000m title.

Running for the first time without thinking too much of his mother's death last year, Potts waited until three laps from the finish to ease clear and win easily.

"In my races since mum [former NZ representative Sylvia Potts] died I have thought about her, but today I got through without that," said the 28-year-old, after his victory.

In the women's race over the same distance, Counties-Manukau's Sarah Christie (nee Horan) won her first national title since the NZ secondary schools cross-country championship 12 years ago as a 15-year-old.

Four years after she was disqualified after crossing the line first in the women's 3000m track walk, Otago's Lynley Young finally had a gold medal draped around her neck.

The only senior competitive athlete from Wanaka, Young literally walked away from her opposition to beat Diane Barrett and Carma Watson from Bays Cougars by more than half a minute.

While the senior athletes were well off Olympic qualifying pace, many younger athletes confirmed their good form.

April Brough, who has already qualified for the world junior championships in Chile, won a tough sprint double - the under-20 100m and under-18 200m.

Stuart Farquhar took only three throws on his way to winning the under-18 javelin. His winning 69.38m was the third time this season he has bettered the 66m standard for the world junior championships and showed he could well be a contender for the senior title this afternoon.