Athletics: Sprint tips from one who knows

By Peter Jessup

The 2000 Sydney Olympics are already having an impact on sport in New Zealand, with promoter Graeme Avery confirming a great deal of interest from world-ranked athletes in the upcoming Porritt and Tait Classic meetings.

As well as sprint star Frankie Fredericks and Australian middle-distance runner Cathy Freeman, 19 others ranked in the top 10 in the world will compete in Hamilton tomorrow night and next Wednesday at Sovereign Stadium on Auckland's North Shore.

World-class performances and even world records are on the cards in the women's and men's pole vault, with record-holding Australian Emma George and Russian Dmitry Markov competing; in the men's javelin with German Raymond Hecht and Russian Sergey Makarov; in the men's discuss with No 1-ranked Virgilius Alekna of Lithuania, and in the women's discus with world No 2 Natalya Sadova.

Thirty of those competing have either Olympic, Commonwealth or world championship medals.

Most of New Zealand's best - middle-distance runners Shaun Farrell and Hamish Christensen, walker Craig Barrett, heptathlete Joanne Henry, throwers Ian Winchester and Diggory Brooke - will compete.

The intensity of the action is just what New Zealand's best need to push their performances. Sprint champion Chris Donaldson is among those looking to test himself against world-class opposition just 18 months out from the Sydney Games.

Fredericks trained at Sovereign Stadium yesterday, taking time out to coach some of the Auckland Warriors in the finer points of acceleration and speed.

Fredericks is a natural who does not have to train much.

The posture, style and procedure of a champion flow freely. He rarely runs more than a couple of laps of the track and is not keen on long-distance jogs.

The warm-up was all-important, Fredericks told Warriors including Lee Oudenryn, Gene Ngamu, Stacey Jones, Bryan Henare, Shane Endacott, Nigel Vagana and Ali Lauitiiti.

He waltzed them through high-stepping and exaggerated leg extensions.

The league players have been working on improving their speed and acceleration, many now being able to better five seconds over 40m from a standing start.

Oudenryn, a panther tattooed on his left bicep, competed as a sprinter at Australian schoolboy and state level and is reputedly the fastest man in the National Rugby League, claiming a best 100m time of 10.7s.

Fredericks' routine includes some leg-strengthening gym work, though not much because he is not a fan of the gym, and a daily run through start technique and his driving action.

"I concentrate on quality, not quantity," he said.

And he relaxes once into full stride, allowing his natural ability to take over.

Nutrition is a big part of his success - "no junk food - my body is my temple" - though he admits to a weakness occasionally for biltong.

And being nice plays a part too. "I concentrate on what I'm doing, I don't talk trash to anyone or disrespect anyone. I want to win but not win at all costs," he said, referring to the behaviour of some of the more brash types in sprinting. "I'd like to have friends when I'm finished rather than have competitors."

He has had a few games of rugby, on the wing of course, but was not familiar with league until yesterday, and after watching a video said "not at this age" when asked if he would like to play.

He would like an Olympic gold medal to go with his four silvers and he reckons Donovan Bailey's 100m record of 9.84s will go when a top field including him, Bailey, Ato Boldon, Maurice Greene and Obadele Thompson are assembled in Sydney, if not before.

After collecting an autographed playing jersey from the league stars yesterday, Fredericks was off for a quiet solo training session in preparation for tomorrow's 200m and the 100m at the Tait next Wednesday.

Not too much training though.

Pictured: Frankie Fredericks (centre) chews the fat with Warriors Shane Endacott and Gene Ngamu at Sovereign Stadium on Auckland's North Shore. HERALD PICTURE / RUSSELL SMITH