WORLD BEST INDOOR 1000 AND 880 YDS

Press, Volume CI, Issue 29745, 12 February 1962, Page 10

WORLD BEST INDOOR 1000 AND 880 YDS

Two More Records To Snell In Los Angeles (N.ZJ’A.-Reuter— Copyright) LOS ANGELES, February 10. P. G. Snell, New Zealand world record-holder for the mile, half-mile and 800 metres, last night set up a world best indoor performance for the 1000 yards of 2min 6.osec, running on a board track in Los Angeles. His time at 880 yards of Imin 50.2 sec also beat the previous world indoor best for that distance. • i The previous best indoor time for 1000 yards was 2min 7.9 sec by E. Cunliffe, of the United States. The previous best for 880 yards was Imin 50.3 sec by another American, A. Sowell, in 1957.

W. Crothers, of Canada, finished second to Snell in this 1000 yards race at the Los Angeles indoor games in 2min 7.45 e better than the previous mark. Snell, who arrived in Los Angeles from New Zealand on Friday night, thrilled the 13.000 spectators at the Los Angeles Times Indoor Games with his performance. It was his first experience on an indoor board track. He led throughout and finished well ahead of Crothers and R. van Asten, of the United States, who was third in 2min lOsec, Snell’s fellow New Zealander, M. G. Halberg, who holds the world records for the two and three miles, had an easy win in the two miles in Bmin 42.55ec. The New Zealander’s time set a new world record, United Press International reported. But indoor records are not recognised by the Amateur Athletic Union, and so the time will stand only as an American record. Snell led from the start. He was timed in 53 seconds flat for his first quarter and ran the half mile in Imin 50.2 sec. Crothers closed the gap slightly in the closing lap. but was still 10 yards behind at the tape. Halberg’s time in the twomile race, Bmin 42.55ec, was more than eight seconds slower than the two mile indoor record he set last year.

R. Schul, of Los Angeles, was second in Bmin 55.35ec, while the 18-year-old runner from Canada, B. Kidd, finished third in 9min o.7sec.

Kidd and Schul battled out the minor places, but they posed no threat to Halberg. Snell’s half-mile time bettered the previous unofficial record of Imin 50.3 sec set by A. Sowell in 1957.

The capacity crowd gave Snell a tremendous ovation before the race when he was introduced, and did even better when his record time was announced.

R. van Asten, of California, was third in 2min lOsec. Snell thanked Halberg for some advice which helped him to his record-breaking win. His team-mate had told him to get out in front, stay there and not look around. Snell did look back a few times in the final lap, and explained that it was partly because he was beginning to tire.

“I tied up a little in the thighs with three laps to go,” he said. “I think the boards may have caused this.” It was a night for records. The massive G. Gubner, of

New York University, again bettered the national indoor shot-put record with a best mark of 63ft Bin, and J. Beatty, of the United States, broke the American indoor mile record with a time jf 3min 58.9 sec, becoming the first athlete to better four minutes indoors.

Snell and Halberg were booked on a flight leaving for New Zealand on Sunday afternoon, the Associated Press reported.