Walker-Moorcroft clash unlikely

Press, 26 January 1979, Page 20

Walker-Moorcroft clash unlikely

PA Hamilton It now seems unlikely that the Walker-Moorcroft ciash over 1500 m will take place in the final meeting of the international track and field series in Auckland on Saturday. Although John Walker showed he was well prepared for the Auckland race when he won the mile at the Hamilton international meeting in 3min 56.85, Dave Moorcroft was still suffering from the after-effects of his virus infection when he finished last in the 800 m. Moorcroft said yesterday that he would be a doubtful starter on Saturday.

"I will probably try and get. rid of my symptoms by calling it a day for a while, so I can get back on my feet again,” he said. “It wouldn’t prove much

if I ran on Saturday — it’s like bashing my head against a brick wall at the moment.”

Walker surprised himself with his race last night. A devastating last lap of 56.8 s enabled him to turn in such a fast over-all time, and the race brought a fitting climax to the meeting watched by an 8000 crowd. The women’s 1500 m lived up to expectations as one of the meeting’s highlights, when the Rumanian world mile and 2000 m recordholder, Natalia Maracescu, won in 4min 8.25. Norway’s Greta Waitz, the world women’s cross country champion and marathon ace, led for most of the way but could not match Mrs Mara-

cescu’s speed when she accelerated down the final back straight. Mrs Maracescu said afterwards that she would be trying to break her world mile record of 4min 23.8 s in Auckland on Saturday. Switzerland’s Markos Ryffel earned plenty of admiration for his well-earned win in the men’s 3000 m. He went to the front of the field from the start and stayed firmly fixed there until the tape. In the men's 100 m and 200 m, Scotland's Allan Wells scored his third sprint double of the international series in New Zealand, winning both races comfortably in 10.52 s and 21.275.