Versatility

[trevorp]

I came across this interesting result while browsing an old athletics annual.
From the UK v Bulgaria (Women) match, Crystal Palace, 2 July 1978:

100H
1 13.21 G.Rabsztyn (Poland - guest)
2 13.69 Z.Bielczyk (Poland - guest)
3 13.75 S.Colyear (UK)
4 13.86 E.Rabsztyn (Poland - guest)
5 14.27 L.Gusheva (Bulgaria)
6 14.48 E.Kunova (Bulgaria)
7 19.63 F.Whitbread (UK)

How many of today's javelin throwers - or indeed any non-hurdlers - could or would step into the breach to earn a point for the team?

Of course, Tessa Sanderson was also quite competent over the sticks: the year before, in 1977, she not only added 10 metres to her UK javelin record to finish the year 3rd in the world with 67.20, but was also 6th in the UK rankings for both hurdles events with times of 13.93 and 60.46. In 1981 she lowered her 100H PB to 13.46 and also scored over 6000 points in the heptathlon. In 1982 she fell and injured herself quite badly while running a relay indoors(!) which put an end to any multi-event ambitions she might have had. Plenty of scope for another 'If only...' debate there. What an athlete!

[trickstat]

I was at the WAAA (the old women's national champs for those under 35) in 1981 at Crystal Palace where Tessa Sanderson nearly matched strides with Shirley Strong until about the sixth hurdle of the 100H final. Tessa like Kathy Cook (then Smallwood) made her first English Schools champs in the High Jump. Other interesting examples of English Schools debuts in surprising events are Jon Ridgeon (Triple Jump) and Todd Bennett (1500m Steeplechase).

[waterjump]

Does anyone remember Geoff Capes beating Brendan Foster over 200m at Gateshead in the 1970's?

[trickstat]

Does anyone remember Geoff Capes beating Brendan Foster over 200m at Gateshead in the 1970's?

I remember reading about it in AW afterwards.