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Historic Track Medal for Kiwis
Wednesday, August 17th, 2005
New Zealand banked a medal it had given up on and sailed into contention for another on Izmir Bay on another memorable day for the Kiwis at the World University Games overnight.
Mary Davies finished third in the 10,000m on Tuesday (NZT) but was told she would not be awarded the bronze medal because only four runners had started the final.
The 22-year-old Oklahoma State University athlete went to bed feeling physically unwell and emotionally distraught after her 35min 58.20s effort but woke yesterday to find officials had decided to ignore IAAF rules that state a minimum six runners must race for all three medals to be awarded.
Davies was eventually presented with her medal New Zealand’s first on the track at a Summer Universiade before the start of the second session of track and field finals early today. The bronze extended New Zealand’s record tally to four medals following the three silvers won in the pool in the first three days of competition.
Matt McCormick capped the bizarre day when he sailed himself into contention in the men’s Mistral boardsailing with a pair of second placings overnight to lie fourth overall with eight races to go.
McCormick savoured the lighter breezes on Izmir Bay to recover well after ordinary starts.
However, silver looks the best the Auckland University arts and engineering student can hope for after Frenchman Fabrice Hassen’s perfect four wins from four starts.
“I sailed a lot better today in basically my favourites conditions [8-12 knots],” McCormick said. “I also beat the Germany and Pole who are above me overall in both races so I’ve just got to keep it going.”
Anna Eason was 8th overall after a pair of seventh placings in the women’s mistral while second and fifth placings left Laser Radial sailor Sara Winther in the mix in sixth place.
Elsewhere yesterday, New Zealand finished winless and bottom of pool A in the women’s volleyball competition after a 3-0 loss to Canadian while Laura Harvey?s stay in the women’s foil fencing lasted just four winless fights.
Macky Singh’s women’s soccer team comfortably accounted for South Africa 4-1 in their first crossover game but Dianne Hollands and Warwick Foy lost their first match in the mixed doubles tennis, 6-3,6-2 to Hong Kong.
There was also disappointment at Manisa Pool where Elizabeth Coster and Georgina Toomey finished sixth and eighth in the 50m butterfly final and the 4×100 medley team of Melissa Ingram, Sarah Vettoretti, Coster and Alison Fitch could manage only seventh.
SOURCE: KENT GRAY, from the DOminion Post
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