Athletics FINE RUN BY BAILLIE

Press, Volume XCVIII, Issue 28805, 28 January 1959, Page 8

Athletics FINE RUN BY BAILLIE

10-Mile Record Broken (New Zealand Press Association» AUCKLAND, January 27. W. D. Baillie, the national dne-mile champion, in a’ one-hour- run. at Olympic Stadium, Newmarket, last night, slashed 24.8 sec . from the New Zealand 10-mile record. Although Baillie failed to displace the world one-hour record of 12 miles 809 yards, held by the famous Czech, E. Zatopek, he achieved the fine distance of 11 miles 1688 yards Ift 6in in the 60 minutes. After the first two laps Baillie raced clear of the field. He covered the mile in 4min 50sec, the two miles in 9min 47sec, and the three miles in 14min 50sec. With five miles covered in 24min 57sec, Baillie appeared certain to better the New Zealand 10-mile mark of 50miri 19.8 sec, set by the national six-mile resident record-holder, B. A. Magee, at this meeting last year. There was a burst of applause, from the terraces as Baillie was only six yards short of six miles for the first half-hour, and he increased his speed a little to clock 35 minutes for seven miles. Baillie continued to increase his speed as he reeled off the miles. It was apparent the 10-mile record was his first target, and it was no surprise when he passed this mark in 49min 55sec. The event produced a high allround standard, with fivd competitors covering more than 11 miles. P. Snell, the Auckland interschools’ half-mile record-holder, caused the upset of the season by beating M. G. Halberg over 2000 metres. After Magee had set the early pace. Halberg took over with more than half a mile to run, with Snell holding grimly to his heels. It was expected that Halberg would draw away, but Snell drew level 75 yards from home to inch ahead for a narrow victory. The time of smin 15.8 sec, was slightly faster than Halberg’s Australian record of smin 17sec.