English runner has a problem

Press, Volume CXIV, Issue 33447, 31 January 1974, Page 7

English runner has a problem

(By

R. O. DEW)

The 35 - year - old Englishman, Ron Hill, will have a niggling worry on his mind when he attempts to retain the Commonwealth Games marathon title on the streets of Christchurch this evening.

He has diagnosed the problem as stemming from his “disaster race” in the Munich Olympic Games in 1972.

And Hill will not be alone in wondering whether he has fully recovered from that Munich “failure” — his opponents this evening will be even more interested in having the answer. Hill won the Commonwealth title at Edinburgh nearly four years ago, in a record 2hr 9min 28sec. He is not a big man, standing

only sft 6Mn tall and weighing 9st, hut he has great strength within his slim frame. At his best, he would be the man to beat this evening.

However, Hill has had the disadvantage of preparing for the defence of his title in the bitterly cold conditions of an English winter. When he first arrived in the village, he said that he was confident of his ability to reach his peak at the correct time. “I love to run and train in hot weather,” he added. If yesterday’s high temperatures are repeated today, Hill should be in his element.

In the Munich Olympic marathon, Hill finished sixth after starting as the favourite. He spent three weeks training at high altitude in Switzerland immediately before the race —only to find that this affected him adversely when he returned

to sea level. He has taken care not to make the same mistake. Nevertheless, his confidence must have been shaken when he was beaten by lan Thompson in the English championship last October. Thompson, running in his first marathon, recorded 2hr 12min 40sec and Hill was second, 42sec behind. Thompson will also be representing England this evening in what will still be only his second serious race over the marathon distance of 26 miles 385 yards. If his performance in the English championship was not an isolated effort, then Thompson must be a major contender for the gold medal. But the exceptional quality of the 34-strong field is such that there can be no real favourites. The outcome is wide open. The course from Queen

Elizabeth II Park to Christchurch airport and back is regarded as a fast one, although it will be a surprise if Hill’s record is broken. But this marathon seems certain to be by far the fastest run in this country. A time of between 2hr llmin and 2hr 13min will be needed for anybody holding out hopes of a gold medal and that may only be achieved if conditions are calm. If the temperature is high, and there is a strong wind blowing, the long battle down Memorial Avenue could put an end to hopes of a worldclass time.

Fancied eight On recent performances, there are no less than eight runners who can win. Among them are the indefatigable 41-year-old Jack Foster, and the 34-year-old New Zealand champion, John Robinson. Robinson won the national

marathon in a personal best time of 2hr 15min 3.Bsec on the Games course late last year. He achieved it despite severe cramp in his left leg and he has estimated that he might have run the distance in 2hr 13min if he had been fully fit. “With the silver fem on my chest, I know I can go even faster,” he said. Foster, who has a personal best time of 2hr 12min 3sec, is very much in the medal hunt if he has overcome the achilles tendon trouble which limited his performances in the New Zealand championship. After leading for 20 miles, he finally had to be content with second.

Foster's best Last year, Foster’s best time was 2hr 14min 53sec, which puts him eighth on the Commonwealth ranking list for this evening’s big race. The third member of the New Zealand team is Terry Manners, who had a best of 2hr 17min 7sec last year. A

big and powerful runner, he should have no bother reducing this time substantially. The other six gold medal contenders appear to be John Farrington and Derek Clayton (Australia), Jerome Drayton and Brian Armstrong (Canada), and the two Englishmen, Hill and Thompson.

Competing in their correct season, the Australians might prove hard to beat. Farrington heads the Commonwealth rankings with his 2hr llmin 12sec last year. Clayton is listed second, at 2hr 12min 7sec.

Over the years, Clayton has had several setbacks because of injuries and this might well be his main worry this evening. But he also has the world’s fastest marathon time of 2hr Bmin 34sec to his credit.

Drayton and Armstrong are ranked fifth and sixth, behind the two Englishmen. Drayton covered the distance last year in 2hr 13min 27sec; Armstrong’s best was only 3sec slower.

The race is scheduled to begin at 5 pm.