WORLD ATHLETICS HAS NZ STRUGGLING
NZ sent its biggest and strongest team to a world track & field champs a couple of weeks ago in Bucharest. It was the 19th such event.
But NZ's 20 athletes failed to win a medal of any description during the nine-day event which was probably the most outstanding world or Olympics athletics ever staged.
The venue itself and the connecting facilities were outstanding and every day the 35,000 spectator stadium was either filled or near-filled.
A new Ussain Bolt emerged in the form of an American sprinter named Noah Lyles and he provided the spark that an event of this type needs as its brightest ultimate star.
NZ athletes were very largely disappointing. We had performer after performer failing to provide a personal best effort or even a matching personal best performance in order to secure a better placing and in several cases, gaining at least a silver or bronze medal.
These can be reeled off but include shot putter Walsh, high jumper Kerr, Javelin thrower Peeters and sprinter Hobbs.
Only women shot putter Wesche and steeplechaser Beamish produced PBs.
So let's hope for better things in less than 12 months time when the Olympic Games are held in Paris. Track & field is the supreme event of the Olympics.
Winging in on a winger
Horrors for the Hurricanes.
They are losing at least a couple of important players for the 2025 Super Pacific Rugby comp but whilst the locking department is going to be taken care of with a couple of exciting young newcomers of substantial build, losing the young super promising Josh Moorby on the wing who is also a more than adequate fullback filler, is a big loss.
Moorby, a consideration for the All Blacks, would you believe it is chasing the big bucks in France.
But it leaves the Hurricanes shy of a real top notch wing. The Hurricanes who will immediately next season be among the favourites to win the SPR, will need to entice a quality, proven speed merchant winger from somewhere.
Of the other wings in the Hurricanes fold in 2023 apart from Salesi Rayasi none are up to a high standard and these include Kini Naholo, Ngane Punivai and Bailyn Sullivan. Dan Sinkinson did show some promise this year and I was surprised he didn't get more chances to show his abilities.
Hurricanes cannot afford to mess around. Just like this year they will need to come out guns blazing first match up in 2025 and with at least two speedy multi skilled wings.
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What freezes when it is heated up?
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Why are ghosts such bad liars?
...You can see right through them.
No, we haven't lost the plot! July 1st is International Joke Day and because laughter is good for your body, we want to get involved.
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