Mile Slowest In 20 Years

Press, Volume CV, Issue 30978, 7 February 1966, Page 3

Mile Slowest In 20 Years

(N Z.P. A.-Reuter—Copyright) PHILADELPHIA. J. L. Davies, New Zealand’s star distance runner, ran one of his slowest miles in years at the Philadelphia Inquirer indoor athletics meeting on Saturday night—but finished ahead of the field.

Davies, the Tokyo Olympic bronze medallist in the 1500 metres, finished five yards ahead of Ergas Leps, of Canada. David Patrick, of the U.S., -was third. Josef Odlozil, of Czechoslovakia, who finished second to Davies in New York, came in fourth in 4min 17.9 sec, and Sino Vazic, of Jugoslavia, was fifth in 4min 20.7 sec.

His winning time, 4min 15.1 sec, was the slowest mile run at the arena in 20 years. Davies, who clocked a 4min 4.2 sec mile to win the event in the Knights of Columbus meeting in New York on Fri-

The U.S. runner, George Young, beat W. D. Baillie, of New Zealand, into second place in the two-mile event. Baillie went ahead at the three-quarters mark, and with

day night, said that he had Young at his heels it became enjoyed his Philadelphia race, a two-man race. “I’m more interested in Young took the lead in the winning than in the winning second from the last lap and time,” he said. quickly extended it to 20

yards, finishing in Bmin 50sec. Bailie’s time was Bmin 53.2 sec. The Jugoslav, Franc Cervan, faded in the closing stages of the race to finish sixth.

Baillie, who won the twomile event at New York on Friday night, said: “I ran hard in New York and had no drive tonight. I was very

tired.” Davies easily won the mile in a time of 4min 4.2 sec tonight at New York. He beat Odlozil by five yards. Vazic was third.

Davies and Odlozil set the pace throughout the race but the New Zealander never lost the lead.

Davies took an early lead, passing the quarter-mile in 62.25ec and drawing boos from the crowd. He led at the half-mile with 2min 2.Bsec and at the three-quar-ter mile mark with 3min 3.ssec.

Baillie completed the New Zealand sweep of the distance races at the New York meeting, winning the two-mile run in Bmin 44.25ec. Tom Laris, of New York, was second, about 15 yards off the pace.

Baillie led from the threequarter mile mark and lengthened his lead to about 25 yards. But Laris narrowed the gap in the last lap.