Walker impressive

Press, 11 August 1980, Page 32

Walker impressive

NZPA London John Walker ended his Olympic inactivity with a strong and impressive win over a top-class mile field at a major post-Games track meeting at London’s Crystal Palace track on Friday night. Running against both Moscow Olympians and boycotters, Walker once again showed the power that made him the world’s. greatest miler four and five years ago. He first headed the toolarge field 300 metres out and with a kick that could have won him a medal at Moscow he stayed in front to win in 3mins 54.4 s for his best victory since 1977.

The tall New Zealander got a great ovation from the capacity crowd of 17,000, at-

traeted mainly to sets the two British Moscow stars, Sebastian Cos and Steve Ovett.

Neither Olympic medallist was in the mile but Walker was still pitted against,some of the world’s best four-lap talent, including the Commonwealth champion, Dave Moorcroft, and the speedy American, Craig Mastack. Walker promised before the race, that he would go at 300 metres and surge again at 200 and this was what he did, burning up: the Moorcroft challenge. The unknown . Swiss, Pierre Deleze, swept through for second and the Olympic finalist, Steve Cram, was third. “I thought that I would run well here,” Walker said. “This proves that my conditioning is right and I still hope to run under

3:50 before the end of the year.** ■ ' StfeV6 Ovett’s exhibitionism cost him his first 5000 metres victory at an international athletics meeting. The British runner paid the penalty for relaxing just before, the tape and Ireland’s John Treaty, the former world cross country champion, dipped to get the verdict. Both men were timed at 13 minutes 27.9 seconds. Earlier Sebastian Coe, whom . Ovett beat into second place in- the 800 metres in Moscow, cantered to a popular victory over this distance in 1:45.95.

The British runner, who won the 1500 metres gold medal in Moscow, produced his familiar kick on the final bend to surge clear of his fellow-countryman, Dave Warren, who clocked 1:46.9.