Walker dispels doubts on fitness

Press, 4 December 1978, Page 3

Walker dispels doubts on fitness

PA Auckland I John Walker left no! doubt about his fitness when he bounced back from restricted training and leg problems to record an outstanding 1500 m time of 3min 40.3 s at Mount Smart Stadium on Saturday. : Aiming for about 3minl 445, Walker was paced! through the first 400 m by the Edmonton! Commonwealth Games 800 m i representative. Dennis Norris, in a fast 57.45. Norris reeled off another lap in a slower 60.1 s before letting Walker battle the blustery conditions on hisown.

I Walker maintained his . pace on the third lap with : 59.7 s before speeding home I in the final 300 m in 43.15.

“He really is an amazing I athlete.” said his coach. 'Arch Jelley. “He has had | only three weeks basic speed work and has vet to move I into the sharper speed i training.”

Walker was grateful for the help Norris had given in the first 800 m and pleased with the time.

“I was battling the wind all the way and given better conditions that run would be worth at least a 3min 56s mile,” he said.

Walker will leave for the Bahamas on Wednesday to participate in a “superstars” event at the end of the week. He is also entered for a five-mile road race on New Year’s Eve before possibly racing over 1500 m in the Muhammad Ali indoor track meet at Long Beach, California, on January 6.