Following the recent triumphs of Brian Woolford and Ron Barlow in the inter counties twenty mile championship two other Wallasey athletes last Saturday scored notable successes in the Northern Counties championships at Billingham, Co. Durham.
Both Carl Gee in the discus and Kevin Mather in the mile were placed third in their events which represents a level of performance not achieved by a Wallasey athlete since Len Platt and B. O. Kivlin were in their heyday.
The difference in performance in local and county events to that required for success at Northern or national level is not generally realised, and on a day when very few Merseyside athletes were engaged both Gee and Mather had the satisfaction of proving their ability against several international class performers.
In the discus Carl Gee confirmed his progressive improvement over the past few years with a throw of 132 ft. 9½ ins., which was only two feet below his personal best in competition and gave him one of the major placings after having been 5th and 6th in these championships in previous years.
Without the great weight and strength of most throwers Gee has concentrated on improving technically both in throwing action and speed in the circle and there seems to be every hope that he will eventually reach a distance approaching 150 feet.
In the mile Kevin Mather had to contend with a heat in the early afternoon when with a time of 4 minutes 23 seconds he passed through into the final which was some two hours later.
This included all the expected finalists such as Brian Hall and Peter Keeling who are the fastest British milers so far this season and who are the only athletes yet to achieve the qualifying mile time of 4 minutes 2 seconds for the European and Empire Games later this season. Also running was Cambridge University runner Martin Heath, who is being advised by the great Herb Elliot and has recently broken 4 minutes 5 seconds at White City.
As usual Mather went from the position and with the field apparently conscious, of the earlier heat he found himself leading the field first round the opening lap in 65 seconds and then through the half-mile reached in the slow time of 2 minutes 9 secs.
Early in the third lap Hall and Keeling took over from Mather and with a time of 3 minutes 14 seconds at the three quarter mile point the last lap developed into a sprint with Hall and Keeling maintaining their lead and Mather gradually drawing away from Heath with a magnificent last quarter in 56 seconds to give him a well-deserved third place in a time of 4 mins. 10.8 secs. against 4 mins. 9 secs. of winner Brian Hall.
Ends
Source - Wallasey News - Saturday, 30/06/1962 by P.W.C.
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