“A LOT IN STORE”

Press, Volume CVI, Issue 31115, 19 July 1966, Page 19

“A LOT IN STORE”

Press Association* AUCKLAND. The former world recordholder, P. G. Snell, said in Auckland yesterday that Ryun's run was an “incredible performance” for a 19-year-old. “lie is obviously going to be the first 3min 50sec miler,” said Snell. “He is clearly the world’s top middle-distance runner.” “The East German, Jurgen May, is his nearest rival. Michel Jazy at 29 is getting too old to be a topclass miler. “Ryun might emulate Ron Clarke. It has been predicted that he will smash every record from the half-mile to 5000 metres. Like Clarke, he is suddenly taking seconds off the records.

“I feel milers reach their peak in the mid-20's and as long as Ryun can keep his enthusiasm there should be a lot more in store for him.” Ryun, should be capable of 3:48 for the mile immediately and 3:45 eventualy, said M. G. Halberg. J. L. Davies the national mile titleholder, said that Ryun was a “product of the American track system of today.” The Americans had learned over the last few years that distance - running training had to be hard and this accounted for their great rise.

“Athletes can lead sheltered lives under the college scholarship system and they have a lot of time to train. Ryun would be an example of this,” he said.