WAS THIS THEIR FINEST HOUR?

Press, Volume CIV, Issue 30945, 29 December 1965, Page 9

WAS THIS THEIR FINEST HOUR?

doubted his ability to break R. Moens’ seven-year-old mark for the 800 metres or T. Courtney’s five-year-old 880 yards world record but everyone was keyed up all the same.

On the morning of the great race, Snell was quietly confident He had already told the world that this was to be a record bid. He was committed. Anything less than a world record would mean failure. After the world mile record the previous week-end, an Australian photographer had flown to New Zealand from Sydney and had spent a frustrating time chasing Snell up and down the South Island. He finally caught up on the morning of the Christchurch half-mile and persuaded Snell to go up on the Cashmere Hills to pose for some training photographs. It was then that the famous photograph of Snell running over rocky ground with Lyttelton Harbour in the background was taken. “Of course this was the one that Sports Illustrated used and drew letters from kids all over the world who thought I trained 20 miles a day like a mountain goat,” Snell says

athletes, J. D. Macdonald, G. Wade and J. Davies, and one Wellington runner, D. Beauchamp, made up the eightstrong field. Snell was given the courtesy of the inside position; Robinson was against the fence. At the crack of the starter’s pistol, Robinson let go with a full-blooded drive to the front, almost as though he was starting a 100 yards sprint. Pinning his

hopes on one pacemaker, Snell took off after the flying Aucklander only to find that Bork had also sprinted hard to get the inside advantage on the first curve.

Further impetus was given to Robinson’s headlong rush by Bork, who, attempting to steady himself in the jostling field, inadvertently clapped Robinson on the shoulder with his outstretched hand. Robinson increased his speed even more. For a fleeting moment Snell’s hopes were in jeopardy. Only 10 yards had gone and already he had lost contact with his pacemaker. He stretched out round Bork but Robinson was still going away. Snell was timed through the first furlong at 24.8 sec but he was well be-

In desperation, Snell yelled out, “wait." It was no use, Robinson had not heard.

Down the back straight went Snell. By lengthening his stride he was able to keep within a few yards of Robinson without actually