“Reward” For Title Winner McKenzie To Run In U.S. Marathon

Press, Volume CVI, Issue 31317, 13 March 1967, Page 3

“Reward” For Title Winner McKenzie To Run In U.S. Marathon

(New Zealand Press Association) AUCKLAND. The Greymouth runner, D. C. McKenzie, who won the national marathon championship on Saturday, will leave Auckland on April 7 to compete in the annual Boston marathon in the United States.

The Waikato Roadrunners’ Club has arranged a sponsorship with U.T.A. Airlines. The raee will be held on April 19 and McKenzie will return to New Zealand on April 28.

The Waikato Roadrunners’ Club arranged sponsorship for M. Ryan to compete in an international race in Japan, which he won late last year. It has also successfully arranged with a Japanese newspaper syndicate to sponsor two New Zealand marathon runpers and a manager to the 1967 Osaki marathon in Japan. McKenzie fought alone against a savage Auckland' gale, over the final 13 miles, to retain his national marathon championship by almost exactly smin on Saturday morning. He crossed the finish line in 2:21:50, with the remainder of the field strewn brokenly behind.

Over the first five miles he was content to shelter behind W. D. Baillie, P. Sale and K. Dravitski (Auckland), sounding out his opposition thoroughly while the going was good. Then McKenzie increased the pace and only Sale and Baillie could stay with him. Ten miles wis passed in 51min 52sec and only Baillie was with him.

At exactly half-way McKenzie decided to break Baillie,

and he urged ahead, almost at a sprint averaging close to smin for each of the next five miles.

Dravitski moved up well into second place, but his strength, lacking years of marathon preparation, was not sufficient to master the humid, powerful wind. Sale overtook him, and later, Baillie also. McKenzie passed 20 miles in 1:44:55, then he met up again with the full fury of the wind, and his pace slowed.

It seemed that Sale, who was moving up fast on Dravitski, would haul him back.

But Sale also, was slowed by the wind.

McKenzie continued to move away to finish so full of fight that he appeared capable of carrying on still further.

Sale ran splendidly to finish second in 2:26:49, with the gallant Baillie third in 2:28:32.

Results:—D. C. McKenzie (Canterbury) 2:21:50, 1; P. Sale (Auckland), 2:20:49, 2; W. D. Baillie (Auckland), 2:28:32. 3: G. Hogan (Otago), 2:29:33. 4; K. Dravitski (Auckland), 2:30:32. 5: G. Douglas (Auckland), 2:31:3, 6: I. Keats (Auckland), 2:32:3, 7: B. Sowden (Auckland), 2:32:48, 8: L. McKendrick (Otago), 2:34:26, 9; J. Foster (Waikato), 2:34:50, 10.