Gold medallist hopes to be world’s fastest

Press, 9 October 1982, Page 19

Gold medallist hopes to be world’s fastest

From

ROD DEW

in Brisbane 4 > ■

Within a short time of his great win in the Commonwealth marathon yesterday, Robert de Castella. of Australia, said he felt he was capable of running a world best time for the 42.2 km race next year.

"I believe I can run under 2hr 7min." he said. "The way I finished today is a good indication of what I can do. On a flat course I think I can run close to my finishing pace for the whole way." De Castella. already the holder of the world's secondfastest marathon time at 2hr Bmin 18s. was just six seconds outside the Commonwealth Games record of England's lan Thompson with his gold medal-winning time yesterday of 2hr 9min 18s.

"I was just out to win. I wasn't worrying about time." he said. Marathon running was now getting to the stage where a pace-setter was needed to carry the fast men through the early stages, he said. Something like this was planned for a marathon in Rotterdam next year and it would be interesting to see what happened, he said. One of his chief targets next year is to win the first world championship marathon. "I would very much like to be the first world champion marathon runner." he said. Conditions for the race, which started at 6 a.m.. were cool but humid and not really suited to marathon running. The temperature was 15deg in the early stage and later rose a few degrees.

De Castella was critical of the early starting time. It took the body a while to adapt to such an early start. He suggested that a better time might have been around noon and said that the heat would not - have been a greater problem than the humidity w-as in the morning. De Castella said he was

forced to wake at 1 a.m. in order to give his body time to adjust. "It would have been much better to run it later in the day." There was also criticism from experienced observers and some athletes that for the first time the marathon did not start and finish at the main stadium. Many felt that this detracted from the importance of the occasion, although organisers later said that they felt the area near the stadium was too hilly for a marathon course.

Kevin Ryan, the only New Zealander to finish, w-as fifth, in 2hr 13min 425. a time he was pleased with considering the course and an attack of cramps over the closing stages. He ran with De Castella for 27km. but was unable to go with the new champion when he picked up his pace in the chase after the two Tanzanian leaders. Gidemas Shahanga and Juma Ikangaa. Ryan, sipping a beer after the race, said he was surprised at just how fast the event had been run: “I gave it my best shot," he said, emphasising that he had difficulty working eight or nine hours a day and then trying to fit in training as well. “I am a part-time trainer," he said.

Ryan, who now lives in Boston, in the United States, will return home on Tuesday, but he has no plans for any more marathons: “I am not going to rush into any more marathons for a while." he said.