Rae, now 40, in veteran sprints

Press, Volume CXV, Issue 33791, 13 March 1975, Page 30

Rae, now 40, in veteran sprints

One of New Zealand’s best sprinters, Morrie Rae (Auckland), will come out of retirement to compete over 100 and 200 metres in the Trans Tours national veteran track and field championships at Queen Elizabeth II Park on March 29 and 30.

Rae, who turned 40 yesterday, still holds the New Zealand resident 100 metres record at 10.4 sec, a time he recorded in 1957 and equalled the next year. His best time of 20.9 sec for 220 yards is also standing as a record. The 100-yd (9.6 sec and 200metre (20.9 sec records he set in 1958 have since been equalled, but not beaten.

In his time, Rae was in a class of his own. As well as representing New Zealand at both Commonwealth Games and Olympic levels, he won the national 100-yd championship six times between 1954 and 1959 and the 220-yd [championship five times between 1955 and 1959.

| If he can produce anything I like his old form, he must have a good chance of being named for the team to compete in the world veterans’ (over 40) championships at Toronto in August. Two New Zealand athletes have already been invited to • compete in the championships — Jack Foster (Rotorua) and Jim Macdonald (Canterbury).

Macdonald lowered his veterans’ world record for the 3000 metres steeplechase to 9min 15sec at Queen Elizabeth II Park last Saturday. This was only lOsec outside his best for the distance, set when he was the Canterbury champion 10 years ago.