ATHLETICS Wins For Magee, Swell In London

Press, Volume C, Issue 29553, 30 June 1961, Page 17

ATHLETICS Wins For Magee, Swell In London

(A Z Pres* Association—-Copv n 9ht J LONDON, June 28. The New Zealand Olympic marathon runner, Barry Magee, today beat several top British athletes to win by yards the While Citv three miles invitatinn i

His time of 13min 18sec., v as only 7 2sec outside thei •■■rid record and 13sec faster, •ran he had ever run before/ r was the fastest three miiesi • e ever recorded at White) City In the 830 yards gift event, i Peter Snell of New Zealand.) •inished only 1 6sec outside, he world record and 10 yards; r.-.ead of his nearest rival. P Schmidt of Germany Snells t.me was lmm< 48 tsec G Philpott, also of| New Zea’and. was fourth in Imin 51sec. SrieJl said he was satisfied I "■ - h his performance, and, ' very confident” of a win ini •he World Games at Helsinki’ next week My style is to hang back ?• d his to go out in frrtjt.i But I did not even use my! c: stomary 300 yard dash; tonight. and I think at Hel-i - n-ki I will find a win. if anyth easier" Asked if he would help; Philpott on ‘she track. Snell said: "No. we are team' mates off the ’-ack, rival* on, it He even has a different' Ph.lpott had led for trios’j of the race, and SneJL after! ■' ng back b-oke away with Schmidt in the last lap ; The experienced British; runner Bruce Tulloh, was the only challenger to Magee in, the three miles; t> U f even he foil behind when the New Zealander came from deep in i •"c,field to the front. Murrav Halberg. New Zea-j land’s Olympic gold medallist.! did not run Only m'notes before his first race in Britain! ’his season a doctor told him; ft was out of the question for, him to run. He was suffering from I swollen ankles, sore eyes and;

a rash. It was diagnosed as sensitivity-reaction from an anti-tetanus injection. Earlier the New Zealand team manager Arthur Lydiard had to make an urgent loudspeaker appeal for a doctor to attend to Halberg On the field. Halberg watched with delight as he saw Ma?ee run with a performance which stunned both the other competitors and his New Zealand team mates. As Magee crossed T he line. Halberg ran across to embrace him. “This is the best thing that could have happened.” he shouted to the sweating Magee “I feel much, much better now.”

Afterwards Halberg said ♦hat he had been troubled with the infection for two days, but had hoped up until the last minute he could run “FU be OK. to run in Gateshead. I’m perfectly fit This is just one of those irritating 48-hour troubles.”

Mr Lydiard said that Halberg had looked very ill and his whole body had been covered in a rash But he was confident that the runner would be in his best condition at Helsinki. After his win. Maaee said“l had no thought of winn ng until after two laps when it suddenly seemed so easy “It just shows what running in a good field can do for you. I’m pleased this has been such a boost for Murray.” Newspaper Comment “The Times” said it looked as though Snell would be threatening the world 880 T’ards record when he really got into a hot race, and added that many present were astonished that Magee, who won a bronze medal in the Olympic marathon, should improve his best three miles time and defeat the best United Kingdom runners so completely. The “Daily Mail” says: “White C’tv belonged to New Zealand tonight. Snell looked the Olymn’c champion. but the greatest ovation was reserved for Ma Tee who beat some nf the best three milers by 60 yards in a time which ranks him sixth in the world list. “It was the Tactics that won a gold medal for Hal-be-g that gave the powerful Magee victory.” Afterwards Mage? said: “As a marathon runner I couldn’t afford to be cut to pieces by sprinters over the last lap so I broke away three laps from home. It is so rare to run on a cinder track and meet opposition of ' this class that I am sure I ! can improve on this time.”