New Caledonians
pp. 26-27 · Read in the full issue
Put Pressure On
New Caledonian sporting en
thusiasts are busily arranging
encounters with neighbouring islands in their preparation for the Third South Pacific Games in
Port Moresby in August.
The Tahitian men’s basketball team (1966 gold medal winners) visited the territory at the end of February and proved that their superiority continues. They won their first two matches 56-44 and 53-47, with the final struggle ending in a 45-45 draw.
In basket and volleyball the women are considered weak. However, both men’s and women’s volley ball teams are flying to Sydney in May for matches with Australian, and pos sibly New Zealand, teams.
The Caledonian selections have a high proportion of Wallis Islanders, the men being mainly from Noumea and Paita parish seminaries.
The third indoor sport, boxing, claims to be suffering from what it regards as impossibly high fees charged by Noumea’s indoor stadium —Salle Omnisports—built especially for the 1966 Games.
Boxers will nevertheless be entered in all 10 categories at Port Moresby.
In the meantime, six or seven boxers go to Papeete on April 14 for matches with their Tahitian counterparts. On the way, the Association president,
Mr. Georges Viale, will visit New Zealand to discuss possible en counters there, following the visit of Australian and New Zealand boxers to New Caledonia last year.
In mid-June, the boxers expect a trainer from France, Mr. Raymond Savignac, who will accompany them to Port Moresby.
In soccer, the Caledonians have had several recent inter-club matches out of the territory. In New Zea land, the Vallee du Tir club drew two matches 2-2 with Ponsonby and Mt. Wellington players, in February.
During March, in Noumea, the Nickel Company team scored 2-2 then 2-1 against a visiting Santo (New Hebrides) team. Then in the New Hebrides, the Impassibles de feated two Vila teams 3-2 and 8-1.
The Caledonians hope a French trainer will arrive in July.
Meanwhile, they are planning matches in Australia in May, against Hakoah and the NSW selection in Sydney, as well as the Victorian selection in Melbourne.
Finally, in swimming, which has been proving the most spectacular Caledonian sport, the Caledonians won only two titles during their re cent visit to the New Zealand cham pionships.
While none of the boys qualified for the finals, Marie-Josie Kersaudy won the 440 yards freestyle in 4 min. 49.6 secs, and the 880 yards in 9 min. 59.9 sec.
Marie Josie’s promising young compatriot, Dolores Anewy, {PIM, Feb., p. 28) came fourth in the Auckland event in 5 min. 0.6 sec.
Back home in Noumea, Marie- Josie, who recently turned 15, has just broken the French record for 1,500 meters, clocking 18 min. 44.6 sec.
Tahitian vaulter's leap
The French Polynesian pole vaulter Stanley Drollet vaulted to a height sf 15 ft 1 in. (4m60) during a draining session in France in late February. A similar performance at ;he Third South Pacific Games in Port Moresby in August will almost :ertainly win him a gold medal.
The South Pacific Games record or the pole vault is 13 ft 7i in. ;stablished in Noumea in December, 1966, by B. Ballastre, of French 3 olynesia, who coached Drollet in lis early days. Drollet won a silver nedal in Noumea with a vault of 13 ft 5 i in.
Drollet regularly jumps 13 ft 6 in. )r thereabouts in training sessions n Papeete.