City Girl Betters Two World Times

Press, Volume CI, Issue 29763, 5 March 1962, Page 14

City Girl Betters Two World Times

(NJ. Press Association—Copvripht) PERTH, March 4. The New Zealand champion woman runner, Miss M. A. M. Chamberlain, of Christchurch, yesterday bettered the world figures for 880 yards and 800 metres when she ran second to the West Australian Olympic representative, Miss D. Willis, at a Perth meeting.

Miss Willis beat Miss Chamberlain by two and a half yards and was timed at 2min 2sec for the 880 yards, to beat the world record by 4.lsec. Her time of 2min I.2sec for the 800 metres was 3.lsec better than the previous world’s best Miss Chamberlain's times for the two distances were 2min 2.3 sec and 2min I.4sec. Miss Chamberlain has nowestablished herself as New Zealand’s greatest woman athlete. She has at one time or another held national records for the 100 yards, 220 yards, quarter-mile, half-mile and mile. She recently astonished the athletic officials by recording 4min 56.8 sec for the mile, and is the current quarter-mile, half-mile and 800 metres record holder. Led AU the Way Miss Willis led all the way after drawing the No. 1 lane Miss Chamberlain remained at her heels for most of the journey, and the first quarter-mile was timed at 59sec flat. Miss Willis said after the race: “It was wonderful. Although I thought I had it won all the way, I would like to thank Marise for pushing me throughout. I feel I can go on to break two minutes now." Miss Willis answered her rival's challenge bravely, and was going away at the tape. Miss Chamberlain was near collapse after the event and almost staggered from the field, saying she must get out of the sun. First-aid attendants took her to a shady spot and she quickly recovered. She said the heat worried her, but not so much as Miss Willis's strength. She said she thought she

would pass Miss Willis coming round the home bend but when she made the effort she felt herself “go dead." The world's previous best for the 880 yards was by Mrs J. Jordan, of Britain, at 2mm B.lsec, and the best 800 metres by Miss L. Shevtsova, of Russia, at 2min 4.3 sec. A North Korean girl. Sin Kim Dan, ran the 800 metres in 2min I.2sec at Pyongyang in May last year, but it is doubtful whether this will be accepted as a world record.