Walker aiming for sub-4 min mile when 40

Press, 29 November 1989, Page 48

Walker aiming for sub-4 min mile when 40

While in Auckland, for the Commonwealth Games athletics trials, ROD DEW spoke to the winner of the 800 m trial, John Walker, about his future.

The Auckland Commonwealth Games in January do not quite represent the end of the track and field road for New Zealand’s former Olympic 1500 m champion, John Walker. A new challenge has been found.

Walker, a former holder of the world mile record and the first man to run 100, sub-4min miles, now wants to become the first 40-year-old to run a sub-4min mile. “No-one has done it before,” he explained during the Mobil New Zea-

land track and field championships in Auckland last week-end. At the same time, he admits that such a target is not vastly important in the great scheme of things. “All it is going to do is freak out all the 40-year-olds,” he said.

Walker will be 38 by the time of the Auckland Games, so still has two years to maintain fitness and form — which contrasts with his determination to retire from serious competition. After the Games, he plans one more full-scale European tour before calling it quits, internationally speaking. Then he will content himself with the occasional club run to keep in shape before the sub-4min mile attempt after his fortieth birthday. He might even be beaten to the punch by an old rival, Rod Dixon. He turns 40 next year and has also announced that he intends to become the first in the world to run a sub-4min mile at 40. “I think I can do it," he said. “I’m in solid training for the masters athletics, and I ran a mile in 4min 2s last summer.”

Walker, however, believes that Dixon has been away from top international competition too long to have a chance. “He won’t do it," he declared.

The great New Zealander is adamant that the national championships last weekend were his last. “I don’t think anybody believes me, but I won’t be running at the nationals again.” He is just as certain that the Commonwealth Games will be his last major Games. “Realisti-

cally, I am 10 years too old for the Games. It represents a daunting task. There are not many 38-year-olds running 1500 m internationally.” Few will argue that Walker is being unreasonably wanting to represent New Zealand in the 800 m as well as the 1500 m, especially after his winning performance in the shorter race at the national championships last week-end. Walker was badly boxed in with 200 m to run, and his chances looked grim. But his great international experience came to his aid. Whereas a more timid and less experienced runner might have pulled back, and lost all chance, Walker forced his way through the flagging bunch holding him back and was able to sprint away for a fine win in Imin 49.635.

event. Walker was the favourite of the crowd, and he could do no wrong. His win was clearly something of a relief for him, because this was one of those rare occasions when Walker was not entirely sure he could win. “I was putting my neck on the line because I was not ready,” he said. “It was a gamble. I’ve done no speed work at all. I have run 75 miles this week. I’m training for the Games,” he said, indicating that he had made no special preparations for the national championships.

“I don’t want to be at a peak now. You won’t see me back on the track until January.” This week, he was back into his 100-miles-a week routine.

jury to another athlete has now allowed him into the team, and he immediately becomes a runner to beat

While freely admitting that he should be “too old” for the Games, Walker still rates his chances of winning a medal highly. “Of course I can win a medal,” he said. “I would not be running otherwise. I don’t know which type of medal it will be.”

The Wellington Centre later protested to the referee about Walker’s tactics, but he dismissed the protest after considering all relevant factors. Wellington, still not satisfied, took its protest to the jury of appeal, and this also rejected the protest. Later, Walker admitted that he had been forced to push his was through and that his tactics had not been those of a gentleman. But he also explained that he had to do what he did or have his chances destroyed by the slower men grouped around him. The crowd which braved the wet, dismal conditions certainly approved of Walker’s performance. The cheer which greeted his success was not repeated for any other athlete or any other

After his final European tour next year, Walker plans to “start enjoying other aspects of life.” He has no intention of switching to road running, where all the money apparently is.

By the time of the Games, Walker plans to be running the 1500 m in 3min 35s or 3min 365. “Whether this will be good enough, I don’t know. The 1500 m is going to be one of the toughest events at the Games.” Walker learned last week that the field might be even stronger that first thought. Steve Cram (England), the defending champion, was originally left out of the English team for the Games because he had not recovered from an injury in time for selection. An in-

Walker has given 17 years of his life to track and field — he contested his first national championship in 1972 — and although he has no firm plans for his retirement, be believes that it is “about time some other athletes had a go. I just haven’t got the time to train any more.”

But if Walker is determined to slip into retirement after one of the most illustrious careers in international sport, he is still unlikely to stop running completely. “If I stop dead, then I will never run a sub-4min mile at 40. You can’t come back after a break and expect to run this fast”

Unfortunately, the interest in masters competition in the United States probably dictates that he will make his attempt outside New Zealand. “If I do it, it will probably be in New York.”

The last has certainly not been seen of John Walker, one of the greatest 1500 m and mile runners the world has known, and a man who has never been known to turn away from a challenge. At 38, he will still be one of New Zealand’s best medal hopes on the track. And who knows what might turn up after this.