Blind Runner Wins 15-Mile Road Race

Press, Volume CV, Issue 30960, 17 January 1966, Page 3

Blind Runner Wins 15-Mile Road Race

(New Zealand Press Association) AUCKLAND. The blind athlete, B. Smith (Onehunga), gained his first outright road race victory when he won the Papakura Club open event of 15f miles from the Harp of Erin. Greenlane, to Papakura on Saturday afternoon.

Starting on a 24 minute handicap. Smith was guided by a 52-year-old veteran runner, R. Stringer, until Stringer began to tire at Manurewa Smith ran alone but struck a power pole with his shoulder. B. McLean of Manurewa then guided him through Takanini and Papakura.

Noise from the big jets flying near Auckland Airport upset Smith during the nin, making it difficult for him to hear his companion's footsteps.

After completing a circuit of Massey Park Smith discarded McLean and sprinted the 100 yards along the straight to the tape. “1 am grateful to those athletes who assisted me,” Smith said afterwards. “I could not possibly have run alone as it would have been far too dangerous.”

The young Howick runner, D. Pincham, was second, almost two hundred yards behind Smith, with the Olympic marathon runner, I. Keats, (Western Suburbs), who had started off scratch, third. The national cross-country champion. J. Julian (Owairaka), who ran unofficially, was the first man home in the first class time of Ihr 19min 45s ec.