Visit Of A. Bikila

Press, Volume CI, Issue 29913, 29 August 1962, Page 11

Visit Of A. Bikila

Athletics enthusiasts will welcome the news that Abyssinia's Olympic marathon champion, Abebe Bikila, has accepted the invitation of the New Zealand Amateur Athletic Association to run in the Ultimate-Ekco marathon championship in February Bikila, who will be remembered for his barefooted victory in the Rcme marathon in 1960 when he beat Morocco's Abdeslem Rhadi and New Zealand's Barry Magee, will be accompanied by his coach, the 51-year-old Swede, Ontwe p Niskanen. Plans have already been ? made to ensure that the £ course will provide the best view for spectators. The Auckland centre is endeavouring to secure a suitable “closed circuit” of four loos or more for the race. Because of the public interest that will be taken in the event it will not be held over the usual out-and-back Auckland championship course. Marathon running calls for careful training schedules and usually provides for only one or two maximum efforts. To run the international race on a separate date would risk uosetting training schedules of local athletes, so the race is to be held in conjunction with the Auckland championship on February 16 next year. Bikila is also available for the New Zealand marathon at Hawera on March 9. provided that he is prepared to stay in New Zealand until that time. Bikila was unknown before he wen the Rome marathon. N i s k a n e n moulded the raw athlete into a world-class competitor on Scandinavian methods. His training log •mazed the athletics world when it was reported after the Olympics. In the morning be runs for an hour over the hills above the Nile. Ln the afternocn he sprints four 1500 metres

averaging 4mm 15sec. separating them with 20-minute periods of jogging. Niskanen. who has been training Bikila since 1956, was the only person who was not surprised when the Abyssinian won his gold medal.