Athletics: Sprinter wants coach at side

New Zealand's top male sprinter, Chris Donaldson, wants his coach, Brent Ward, to be at Sydney to give him the psychological boost he needs at the Olympic Games.

Athletics New Zealand has not yet appointed a coach for the Olympics, but possible candidates Les Mills and John Davies will be in Sydney in other capacities, Mills as chef de mission of the New Zealand team and Davies as a television comments man.

"I'll be trying to get Brent there. It will be a major priority for me," Donaldson said. "Brent knows how to create the right atmosphere and scene for me to run at my best."

Donaldson has just returned from a successful racing stint in Europe where he passed the fitness test times set by the New Zealand athletics selectors.

He finished second in a 200m race in Slovenia in 20.72s and third in a 100m event into a strong headwind in Dublin in 10.32s.

He caught a virus which stopped him from performing at his best at Budapest and he was on antibiotics for 10 days but he is now back training in Dunedin with Ward until he travels to the Australian Olympic trials at Sydney on Tuesday.

- NZPA

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