Photo Robart Dillon 21 - Wednesday, September 14, 1988 - North Shore News Fox run set to go PAGE 23 or Feary cee Ep ede Tee NEWS photo Neil Lucente NORTH SHORE field hockey player Ian Bird (left, hitting ball) plays for Canada, In rowing, a new partner for West Vancouver's Kirsten Barnes (right) means uncertain performance. Local athietes primed for Seoul among the athletes competing as NORTH SHORE field hockey players lan Bird and Peter Milkovich are expected to be important contributors when Canada faces West Germany in first-round Olympic play. Picked to the Olympic team after top performance in matches earlier this year, Bird, 18, showed that he can compete against older and more experienced players. “Being thrown in with players almost twice his age with more than 200 world matches to his mere two or three, lan was able to hold his own,’ said coach Hash Kanjee. ““He makes adjustments quickly, and he’s a very strong athlete.”’ Joining Bird on the seventh- ranked Canadian squad is fellow North Shore player Milkovich, who has a reputation as a key play-maker. Likened to Wayne Gretzky for his ability to put the ball in the tight place at the right time, By STEPHEN BARRINGTON News Reporter Milkovich is ‘‘very good at setting people up; he’s got phenomenal vi- sion — he can fook ahead to see what’s next.” With powerhouses West Ger- many, Australia and the ‘Netherlands expected to take the top medal spots, Canada could still play to a respectable finish. “There are a lot of teams around the same level,’’ said Kan- jee. “It just depends on what hap- pens. Canada could come fourth; you never know.”’ On the rowing team, West Van- couver’s Kirsten Barnes and North Vancouver’s Bruce Ford are Canada’s best. Partnered with Vancouver’s Sarah Ogilvie in the women’s pair event, Barnes, 20, last year came home from the Pan American Games with a gold medal in that same event. Though not having rowed together before, the two ‘‘are real- ly doing well,’’ Barnes said in an interview just before leaving for Seoul. “Now it’s just a matter of star- ting to build our speed and become familiar with the course.” In tennis, North Vancouver's Grant Connell will play in singles as well as doubles, where he will be paired with Toronto’s Glenn Michibata. Practising extensively up until the tennis players left for South Korea Friday, left-hander Connell is in good form for Olympic com- petition. " NEWS photo Tom Surie, GRANT CONNELL of North Vancouver (right) and Glenn Michibata of Teronto will be Canada’s doubles duo in Olympic tennis. arte SAR RG: rss eRe yee ae 5 aS Cae A “Ny Dad has all Let us be your RINGETTE CENTRE HE Ray RTD GAR OTA, si your Ringette needs!” eshoulder pads eshin pads epants ejil] strap at ae RINE oun: THVvVie Oue RHE TS A eringette girdle EGA: @sticks vceonemncmnsnnl