Enforced exile over... The ‘forgotten man’ comes back with a vengeance

Press, 25 February 1987, Page 28

Enforced exile over... The ‘forgotten man’ comes back with a vengeance

By

ROD DEW

“I always knew I would come back. It was just a question of how long it would take.” Peter O’Donoghue, of Auckland, who recently ended a long enforced exile from the track, expressed these words of quiet determination after his brilliant 3min 38.88 s win in the national grand prix meeting at Queen Elizabeth II Park last Saturday evening. For O’Donoghue, the performance was a very bright light at the end of a long and gloomy tunnel — a world-class time in only his second 1500 m since breaking down at the Los Angeles Olympic games more than two years ago. A few years ago, the former Northland runner was New Zealand’s golden hope in the middle distances, a man who showed definite signs of being good enough to take over from John Walker as New Zealand’s top international track star. The Los Angeles Olympics could have been the stepping stone to greatness. J Instead, O’Donoghue ran poorly, made no ex- . cuses and quietly disappeared from the . track and field scene. Then, in October last year, he suddenly ; reappeared and in his , first 1500 m in the Auck- * land championships a ! fortnight ago he won well * in 3min 465. The time was I not great, but there was * no doubt that the athlete ‘ who had become “the for--1 gotten man” of New Zealand athletics was back with a vengeance. O’Donoghue recalls with ■ no pleasure at all the heel ! spur on his left foot, an injury which made it im- ; possible to run well at the I Olympics and might well ; have ended his career.

“I had it operated on in February, 1985, and it took until October last

year to get over it.” During this difficult period he kept himself fit by cycling and swimming, and this probably had a lot to do with the manner in which he has catapulted back to top form. O’Donoghue never had any doubts that he would return, but the swiftness with which he has risen to world-class form has surprised him. “I have come back a bit quicker than I expected,” he said. The heel spur was not his only problem at the Olympics. O’Donoghue also suffered from a shin injury. He puts his troubles down to too much running and not enough maintenance. Small injuries mounted up and he never gave his body a chance to recover properly. O’Donoghue, the firststring New Zealand runner at Los Angeles, failed to reach the final. A time of 3min 38.71 s in a tough semi-final left him one place away from a run in the final.

Tony Rogers (Waikato), who many thought was a trifle lucky to be selected for the New Zealand team, was left to carry the flag alone. He ran superbly well, recording 3min 38.98 s for ninth. Utterly devastated at the time, O’Donoghue now realises that he should never have been at the Olympics. “I would have been better not to have raced. I paid for it with a long lay-off.” His return to competition has been carefully judged. He is fortunate in having John Davies as his coach to guide him in his come-back. Davies claimed the bronze medal in the 1500 m at the Tokyo Olympics, an event won

by Peter Snell. Since then he has helped a number of promising athletes and, in his own quiet way, has probably had a greater influence on New Zealand athletics than Snell, the man whose shadow he ran in in those golden days of the 19605. Davies coaches Anne Audain, undoubtedly one of the finest women athletes New Zealand has produced. O’Donoghue has also been one of his special charges, and the pair now seem ready to reap the benefits of the long and often very frustrating preparation.

Injuries have obviously seriously restricted O’Donoghue’s progress. He is now 25, but still has many good years left yet. He might not achieve the dizzy heights which might have been possible without the injuries, but indications are that he will go very close. His run on Saturday was comfortably inside the B qualifying standard for the world championships in Rome in August. This means he will almost certainly be included in the small New Zealand squad to travel to Europe this winter. The cost, around $5OOO for each athlete, will be refunded to those who are finally selected in the team for the world event.

O’Donoghue has no worries on this score. He considers the A qualification for the 1500 m, which entitles him to automatic selection, is well within his ability. He might even do it before he leaves for Europe on the strength of his present form.

With the Auckland 1500 m crown safely tucked away, his next target is the New Zealand

championship at Wellington next month. The only runner who seems likely to present him with a serious challenge is the evergreen John Walker. O’Donoghue is not sure whether the former world mile record-holder will be in the field. “John told me he was going to run, but I have since heard that he will not. I am really not sure what he is going to do. I think John and I could have a good race,” he said.

“I would like to win the national title. After that, I will be going for time.” His career-best is 3min 37.085.

He is quite determined to travel to Europe this

year, for experience as much as anything else. He is hoping to run a fast time in New Zealand after the championships, and is certain that he will be able to run even faster in Europe. “I haven’t raced there before and it is time I got that experience,” he said.

He is adamant that he has “got to run more than one set of races (the world championship)” while in Europe. Running in Europe was the only way you could find out what it was all about. “Running only in New Zealand it is very easy to get an unrealistic picture of what is happening.”

In the next season or two he hopes to compete in a lot more 800 m races. “This is an area I have not explored at all.” He has no plans for stepping up to the 5000 m. “I would sooner come down. Ultimately, I will probably end up in the 5000 m, but not until I have gone as far as I can in the 1500 m.” If determination and ability count for anything, this could mean an Olympic medal at Seoul next year. “I want to run in the 1500 m at the next Olympics, and hopefully have a bit of fun.” O’Donoghue’s idea of a bit of fun might well mean bad news for other medal aspirants.