Queen Sees Sub 4-Min. Mile

Press, Volume CII, Issue 30058, 16 February 1963, Page 12

Queen Sees Sub 4-Min. Mile

(N.Z Press Association) DUNEDIN, Feb. 15. New Zealand’s triple world record - holder, P. G. Snell, and his Empire Games teammate, J. L. Davies, both ran a mile in under four minutes before the Queen and the Duke of Edinburgh at the Caledonian Ground, Dunedin, tonight.

It was a royal race for a Royal occasion and only two-tenths of a second and slightly more than a yard separated the two runner: at the finish. Snell, as he has done on so many occasions, managed to pull out that little extra to break the tape in 3min 58.®sec. Davies recorded 3min 58.8 sec.

The Queen and the Duke watched the race through binoculars. They saw the race soon develop into a twoman duel. Snell and Davies having left their opponents well behind during the second lap Mid-way through the final lap Davies, who has almost

monotonously had to take second place to Snell, looked this time as though he would

turn the tables on the world record-holder. but Snell drew on his tremendous strength over the last furlong and surged through to victory. It was the first time four minutes had been broken for the mile on the Caledonian Ground’s all-weather track The Queen and the Duke were welcomed to the brack by the president of the New Zealand Amateur Athletic Association (Mr G. W. Jackman) and Mrs Jackman. They were presented to the president of the Otago Centre (Mr A. B. Beveridge) and Mrs Beveridge. The ground was packed by an estimated 10.000 people

The Royal couple also saw three New Zealand records : broken. Miss M. A. M. Chamberlain, of Canterbury, won the women’s 880 yards in 2mtn s.2sec, 2.9 sec faster than her old record of 2min B.lsec. In the process she also set a new 800 metres mark of 2m tn 4.3 sec. A new record was also set in the pole vault by K. Gibbons (West Coast., North 1 Island), who cleared 14ft 4 J in, liin better than the old record. At the end of the threemile event, both the Queen and the Duke applauded the winner, G. Pyne, of Canterbury, who made a magnificent finishing burst.