Walker remains bitter over Olympic boycott

Press, 22 September 1980, Page 34

Walker remains bitter over Olympic boycott

PA Auckland Four years ago, as the new Olympic 1500 m champion, John Walker arrived home to a hero’s welcome, but at the week-end he returned from what he had hoped would have been his second Olympic campaign to be welcomed by a small group of family and friends Walker remains bitter over the decision which robbed him of any chance he had of defending his Olympic title. “We achieved nothing — absolutely nothing — by staying away from Moscow,” said a lean and fit looking Walker. While unlikely to forget the circumstances surrounding New Zealand’s almost total boycott of the Olympics, Walker has now put the experience behind him and talks enthusiastically, of the coming season. “The New Zealand public is in for their greatest track and field bonanza this summer,” he said. “Many , of the top athletes will be here for the Pacific Conference Games in January and all have said they will use the satellite meetings as their final build-up for them. “Steve Ovett is a definite starter and with others like the American, Steve Scott, Thomas Wessinghage (West Germany), Filbert Bayi and Henry Rono all coming too, we should have some spectacular racing. , . “Hopefully, we can again arrange a mile at . Mount

Smart as a finale to the series and with such a field I feel we could see the fastest time yet run here.” And what of his own form? “I am very pleased with the shape I am in. I was able to run an hour a day with Rod Dixon in the States after I left Europe and I feel I am now back to where I was two years ago. “Unlike other years, I intend to keep on training right through and will probably have my first track races here some time in December. “After the Pacific Conference Games I will run indoor in the United States and, later in the year, probably have a couple of 10 kilometre road races over there.”

In the meantime, Walker has no definite plans to live permanently in the United States. Walker dispelled any hopes there might have been of his running in the international cross-country in Spain next March and added that he understands that Dixon, too, was likely to make himself unavailable.With 15 races — for six wins — in the three months he has been away, Walker is happy with his form but said that the racing in Europe this year was “a whole new experience for me.” He was also critical of the big fields and the problems they created.