Runner slows to walk and then strikes gold

Fran Myers-Baird (Otago Girls High School) fell into race-walking by accident only 20 months ago but will represent New Zealand in the event in November.

Fran (14) is one of 10 Otago athletes who will represent New Zealand at the Pacific Schools Games in November. About 4000 athletes from 27 countries will compete in the five-day event in track and field, diving, swimming, hockey and basketball. The field will include powerful sporting countries like Australia, China and the United States.

Fran said she had been training to run at the Colgate Games at Nelson early in 2007 and was filling in her entry form when she noticed that race-walking was on the programme. Her father and coach, Jim Baird, told her to tick the "walk" box and they would prepare for it.

Neither coach nor athlete knew nothing about race-walking at the time, so they got hold of a book to work out the techniques.

They trained every day for three weeks in Dunedin before travelling to Nelson to walk in the 1500m.

Fran went to the front from the start and blew the rest of the field away.

She was a natural.

Fran competes for the Hill City Athletics Club and has achieved impressive results against older girls over the last 12 months.

She was fourth in the New Zealand secondary schools championships last December, won a gold medal at the South Island Colgate Games, a silver medal at the South Island secondary school championships and a silver medal at the New Zealand club championships.

Fran was born in Sydney but the family moved to New Zealand when she was aged 6 months.

This will be her first visit to Canberra.

Her talent has been recognised and she is now helped by specialist walking coach John Henderson, of Christchurch.

Fran will compete in the 3km walk at the Pacific Schools Games.

She has a best time of 16min 59sec. Her best 2km time is 10min 42sec.

"I'm excited about competing at Canberra," she said. "I find walking easier than running. I like it much more. It is fun for me."

Fran trains every day and has eight different training sessions each week.

"Walking is quite hard on the body, especially the hips and shins," Fran said.

"I do lots of stretching and strengthening exercises before and after training to prevent injuries."

Race-walking has always been a minor part of the athletics programme, but Fran is changing that by coaching a group of nine keen girls in preparation for the New Zealand secondary schools championships in December.

The Otago secondary school athletes in the New Zealand team are: Fran Myers-Baird (Otago Girls), 3km walk; Hannah Williams (Otago Girls), 100m hurdles; Bethany Struthers (Taieri College), 100m, 200m, hammer throw; Toby Batchelor (John McGlashan), 3000m, 1500m; Ben Jowsey (Kaikorai Valley), 400, 800m; Cameron McNoe (Kaikorai Valley), 2km steeplechase; Guy Woodhouse (Kavanagh), 100m, 200m; Todd Johnston (Otago Boys), 100m, 200m; Campbell Garry (John McGlashan), 3000m, 5000m; Anna Kean (Bayfield), sprints.

Jarrod Adams (Otago Girls) and Penny Batchelor (Catlins Area School) are the managers.

 

Fran Myers-Baird

School: Otago Girls.

Age: 14

Sport: Athletics.

Picked for: NZ team for Pacific Schools Games, Canberra, November 2008.

Best placings: NZ secondary schools open walk, 4th in 2007, NZ club championships, 2nd in 2008.

Best times: 2km, 10min 42sec; 3km, 16min 59sec.