John Walker ‘had it’

Press, 5 August 1977, Page 28

John Walker ‘had it’

NZPA staff correspondent London

John Walker yesterday continued his remarkable recent form to win a 1500 metres race in Lausanne, Switzerland, in near record time.

Walker recorded 3min 343 secs over the metric mile — the second fastest time run in the world this year, just two tenths of a second behind the year’s fastest time, run by Walker in Stockholm last week.

Showing remarkable highspeed consistency, the 25-year-old Aucklander’s run was the fourth time he has run over the metric mile in recent weeks, the fourth times he has won, and gives him the four fastest 1500 m times in the world this year.

Speaking from the Swiss ’city, Walker told the NZPA I last night he had “had it." “I came here not looking for a fast time — I wasn't 'even bothering to think about the possibility.” But the promoters of the meeting had as usual billed Walker’s 1500 m as a world record attempt and had arranged a pacemaker. Running behind the pacemaker, Walker went through the 400 m mark in a quick 55secs, the 800 m in 1:51.7 and was well within world record time at the 1200 m in 2:49.0. “It’s never, ever been run that fast,” Walker said. “Even Filbert Bayi’s fastest at that point is only 2:51.3 when he set the world record (3:32.2). "It was just too fast —

there was no way I could keep it going on my own.”

Walker had been running a virtual solo race since the 600 m mark when the pacemaker dropped out 200 m earlier than planned. At the finish, the exhausted runner was metres ahead of second-placed Herbert Mueller, of Switzerland, who was more than 16 seconds behind the New Zealander. “I’ve never been as tired after a race," Walker said. “I had to walk the victory lap and it took me over an hour to recover.” Now Walker will take a rest from the constant racing and travelling. He will go today to the Adidas training centre in Germany where he will prepare for a possible series of 3000 m runs.