Champions in Action

Take a good look at the photograph at right and you will see one of those rare pictures which are really worth a thousand words. For this is a picture of Australian Marlene Mathews, the world's fastest woman sprinter, in action on Childers Road Reserve, Gisborne. As she breasts the tape at the end of her 100yds burst she is a thoroughbred in full flight, with every muscle of her champion's legs straining to give more speed.

Above, with N. Westbury (Auckland) and J. Presland (Gisborne), Marlene walks off the course, completely relaxed. She has since broken the existing N. Z. record for 100 yards with 10.6sec at Hastings.

Marlene and her fellow–Australian, Fleur Mellor, were star attractions at the Gisborne Athletic Club's annual January star meeting.

Marlene (left) and Fleur with Mr W. Carmichael, president of the Gisborne club, and the Mayor, Mr H. H. Barker. The girls left Sydney by air at 11 p.m., were running in Gisborne at 3.30 p.m., had only three hours of sleep in between.

Part of the crowd at the meeting.

New Zealand's a Valerie Sloper, the world's best woman shotputter outside of Russia, prepares for an attempt on the N.Z. record.

Olympic cyclist Warren Johnston was another star attraction

In a violent paroxysm of muscular energy, Valerie hurls the heavy shot into the air. Her best at the meeting: 49ft 7½ in compared with an earlier N.Z. recordbreaker of 53ft 5½in at Christchurch.

Wayne Belcher (Waikato), left, who won 120yd hurdles from team-mate Doug Taylor, right, the present N.Z. recordholder for this event. Behind them is H. Twigley (Gisborne).

Alan Parkinson (Gisborne) winnig the senior mile. He has since broken the centre record for this event.

Don McNamara (Gisborne) winning junior 220yd race from team-mates R. Harris (r) & G. Stock.

R. Harris (Whakatane) beating Johnston in the final of the 880yds event. F. Fuller was 3rd

Fleur Mellor leaving track with Margaret Geenty and Lucy Cheer.

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The Gisborne Photo News

No 43 : February 6, 1958

Champions in Action