£2000 Wanted To Bring Elliott To Perth

Press, Volume CI, Issue 29802, 19 April 1962, Page 9

£2000 Wanted To Bring Elliott To Perth

(N.Z. Press Association—Copyright) MELBOURNE, April 18. The Melbourne athletics coach, P. Cerutty, has tentatively planned to fly to London "some time after May 11” to bring the former world champion miler, H. J. Elliott, home for the Empire Games at Perth in November. Cerutty, after receiving a letter from Elliott today advising him of Elliott’s retirement, immediately announced that he was opening a £2OOO fund to cover the cost of bringing Elliott to Perth.

"I have already put in my £100,” Ceru‘ty said, "and I'm seeking 19 businessmen who will do the same. I know my firm will be in it That leaves £1800." Cerutty said Australia had to fix things so that Elliott raced against the world mile record-holder, P. G. Snell, in Perth. Cerutty said that EUiott wrote: “I have retired from international athletics. This is so that I can study in peace and run as I like which I m sure will be my wish when I am finished at Cambridge. "Race This Chap” "If that suits you I will be down at Portsea < Cerutty's training camp) for some really hard work and we'll race this chap Snell." Cerutty said that in a radio-telephone cowversa-

tion he had with Elliott today he accused Elliott of “rei treating from Peter Snell.” “I telephoned Elliott at i Cambridge and argued with him about his decision. It I was a spirited conversation,” : said Cerutty. > “I accused him of retreati ing from Peter Snell, and told him that his wife and t mother had forced this dei cision,” said Cerutty. s “I was trying to prickle i him into running again and i when he finished talking I 1 was convinced he was . wavering. Could Be Persuaded “I Mill believe that he [ could be persuaded to run i against Snell at the Perth i Empire Games.” ■ Cerutty said he had writ- > ten several letters to Elliott i in the last few months but . Elliott had not replied.

"Six months ago he wrote me a long letter urging me to go to Europe to train with him in Sweden for three months starting about this time,” he said. Other Athletes “He told me he could get me adequate employment but I had to reply saying the whole idea was impossible and that apart from anything else I was interested in other athletes. “I feel very deeply Herb owes something to Perth. He owes something to the Commonwealth Games and to the country of his birth. I think I can convince him of these things if he’ll let me.”