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Gyngell makes strong comeback
SYDNEY: It was a case of the
gods shining upon Stuart Gyngell
when the former Commonwealth
Games medallist made his come-
back at the Sydney International
Athletics Centre yesterday.
Competing in his first inter-
district competition since winning
bronze in the shot put in the Edin-
burgh Commonwealth Games in
1986, Gyngell achieved double suc-
cess by taking out both the men's
A grade shot put and discus.
Still sporting his Australian team
uniform from Edinburgh, the NSW
record holder threw 16.2m to easi-
ly win the shot put after throwing
45.58m to claim the discus.
Drawing as much attention as
his performance was Gyngell's lat-
est vocation. A veterinarian, an ac-
tor in the film Mad Max III and a
former national record holder, he
gave it all away to pursue life as a
Christian.
"That's one of the reasons I
gave athletics away. After 1986 I
was at that stage of my Christian
life where I had to choose between
the two," said the 188cm Gyngell.
"I felt myself being drawn away
from Jesus and I didn't want that
and wanted to rectify it."
Gyngell has since become the as-
sistant minister of the South
Turramurra Anglican Church. "I'm
hoping to make it a low-key come-
back," said the 30-year-old Gyngell
when asked whether this marked
his return to serious competition.
Others to make impressive starts
to the season were Commonwealth
Games silver medallist Anne Man-
ning, who comfortably took out
the women's 3000m Walk in 13min
10.3sec ahead of Linda Coffee
(13min 31 sec) and Games team-
mate June Siville (13min 52.6sec).
And 1993 national 800m champion
Narelle Parr made a triumphant
return to the track after being
plagued by a mysterious knee inju-
ry for the past year to easily win
the women's 800m.
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