Baillie’s Race Has World Interest

Press, Volume CIII, Issue 30390, 14 March 1964, Page 8

Baillie’s Race Has World Interest

(N.Z. Press Association—Copyright) MELBOURNE, March 13. The race between R. Clarke, of' Victoria, and W. D. Baillie, of New Zealand, at Melbourne on Sunday will have world interest. It will probably be a preview of the struggle for the 10,000 metres gold medal at this year’s Tokyo Olympics.

Several other Olympic hopes are among star men and women athletes from every Australian state who had accepted invitations to compete at the meeting. Clarke, who will be having his first race against Baillie this season, has become favourite for the Olympic 10.000 metres by his series of scintillating runs in recent months. Three World Records These include the setting of world records for 10,000 metres (28min 15.6 sec) and six miles (27min 17.6 sec) in the same outdoor run at Melbourne and for the three miles indoor (13min 18.4 sec) in America. The barrel-chester Baillie has been one of New Zealand’s leading distance runners for several years but he has shown marked improvement in the last six months and looks to be Clarke’s main rival in the Olympic 10.000 metres. Baillie is no stranger to

the Olympic Park cinder track. He ran there some years ago as a member of the Box Hill Club, specialising mainly in mile and twomile races. After returning to New Zealand he joined up with the world record-holders, M. G. Halberg and P. G. Snell, for punishing long-distance training. Baillie holds the world records for one hour at 12 miles 960 yards and for 20.000 metres at 59min 28.6 sec. Task For Davies The New Zealand . mile champion. J. L. Davies, has run impressive times for the mile this season, but he is likely to get solid opposition in the 1500 metres from A. Thomas, of Sydney. It will be interesting to see whether the tall, smoothrunning Davies will be able to hold off the flashing finishing burst which has made i Thomas Australia's top miler i this season.