Australian may follow in Snell's footsteps

Press, Volume CVIII, Issue 31754, 10 August 1968, Page 11

Australian may follow in Snell's footsteps

TTOUR years ago P. G. Snell claimed the 800 and 1500 metres gold medals for New Zealand in the Tokyo Olympics. At Mexico City later this year the silver fern will be conspicious by its absence in both events and a country which was accepted as one of the top middle distance nations of the world such a short time ago will have to look elsewhere for its potential world champions.

This is a distressing state of affairs for many New Zealanders, especially those who saw that magnificent 1500 metres final at Tokyo when New Zealand had two, Snell and J. L. Davies, in the first three. However, there is one small consolation. There is at least a chance that the 800 metres title may come back to the southern hemisphere. A 23-year-old Australian, R. Doubell. is preparing himself for the most important moment of his athletic career. He competed in the Commonwealth Games 880 yards at Jamaica and although he qualified for the final he could do no better than sixth in Imin 48.1 sec. The event was won by a fellow - countryman, N. Clough, in the games record time of Imin 46.95ec. Unfortunately, Clough has now disappeared from the international athletics scene and Doubell is Australia's biggest hope for a medal in the 800 metres at Mexico. Since the Jamaica Commonwealth Games, Doubell has grown in stature as a runner. He has competed with success in America and now has sufficient experience to ensure that he will not be overawed by the magnificence of an Olympic final. Last year he competed in the world University Games at Tokyo and won a gold medal. Doubell is not unknown to New Zealanders. He visited the Dominion in 1966 and ran a ver.- smart halfmile at Rugby Park in Imin 49.95ec. This was well inside G. F. Hack's provincial record of Imin 51.8 sec. Since then he has improved considerably and now has a per sonal best time of Imin

47.75ec for 800 metres. He holds the Victorian and Australian 880 yards records in Imin 48.5 sec. If Doubell is to bring the Olympic title back to the southern hemisphere he will have to improve slightly on these times but there is little

doubt that he is capable of this. He has a very fluent style which has been likened many times to that of Snell. His supporters are confident that he will have more than this in common with the great New Zealander after tte Mexico City Games.