Quax’s mark falls

Press, 10 April 1978, Page 32

Quax’s mark falls

p A Auckland “That’s a good run — 4 very good run — and I am very pleased for Henrv (Kono) that he’s done it,” said Dick Quax last night upon learning that Rono had lowered Quax’s 5000 metres world record to 13min 8.4 s But Quax’s immediate response was to say that he felt confident of being able to better Rono’s time this season. “I’ve always said f would want to try and improve on my world record of I3min 12.95.” Quax said. “I thought that I could get it down to 13min 8s last year but the opportunity did not arise. “Nobody has a mortgage on the world record and I am very pleased for Henry. But I am also certain in mv own mind that I can break the new record.” Rono. a Kenvan student at Washington State University, set the new record in winning the 5000 metres race in a triangular meeting at the University of California’s Edwards Stadium at Berkeley on Saturday . Two of Rono's teammates, also from Kenya, finished behind him in the race, but Rono was far ah»ad of the field by the halfway point. The public address announcer kept him aware of his progress as he challenged the record on the sunny, warm day. Rono was named for his country’s Olympic team in 1976, but did not compete at Montreal because of the African nations’ boycott of the Games. At Washington State, he has won two con* secntive N.C.A.A. cross* country individual titles. He also was the Pacific-8 Conference steeplechase champion last (northern) spring and runner-up in the N.C.A.A. championships. He went into the Berkeley meeting after turning a strong 13min 22s time in the 5000 m a week earlier in a meet at Spokane. His record performance helped Washington State beat both California and Ari* zona in the triangular meeting on Saturday. Back in Auckland, Quax showed that he is in good form with a personal best 49min 46s time over 10 miles in Auckland on Saturdav. His previous best was 50min 19s, set two years ago, but he said later he could have broken 48min if he had gone hard from the start.

Quax beat the marathon star, Kevin Ryan, easily, finishing over a minute ahead on the hilly Owairaka course.

Quax plans to leave New Zealand for high-altitude training at Colorado in about a month, and said he is pleased with his condition.