Leg worries Walker

Press, 6 July 1977, Page 42

Leg worries Walker

NZPA staff correspondent London John Walker will return to New Zealand next month if new treatment methods on his mystery calf ailment are unsuccessful. In a virtual repeat of his Crystal Palace performance just over a week ago, Walker last night placed fourth in an international mile at Stockholm — clocking 3min 55.5 secs. Running second into the home straight, he was badly jostled by the frontrunning winner, Czechoslovakia’s Josef Plachy, but did not have the kick to pass Plachy or to maintain his position. Speaking later from the

Swedish capital, he said his enforced seven-week lay-off from hard stamina training had made top-level competition difficult. “I’ve just got to be able to build up some stamina,” he said.

“I’ve got all the speed, but not the strength. My L tightened up a bit but basically I just ran out of steam.” After a week of unsuccessful treatment in London, Walker arrived in Stockholm on Sunday evening and spent most of yesterday with a chiropractoracupuncturist. Another two or three days of treatment is ahead of him, but Walker was last

night optimistic about finally shaking the muscle cramps that have prevented him from running for more than about 20 minutes at a stretch.

“The big test will be to get out and run tomorrow, I want to try and do a couple of runs in the forest of at least an hour.

“My feeling is if this treatment works I’ll keep going —■ but if it doesn’t I’ll return home next month.”

Obviously frustrated at his inability to perform up to his capabilities, Walker said he found it continually annoying “getting beaten by guys I know I could smash.”