EL OUAFI

Sun (Auckland), Volume II, Issue 502, 3 November 1928, Page 28

EL OUAFI

WORLD’S CHAMPION t MARATHON RUNNER IS VEGETARIAN (LIKE | NURMI), BUT SMOKES REGULARLY.

TEX RICKARD BROUGHT HIM TO AMERICA

To El Ouafi fell the distinction of being; the first winner of an athletic event at the Olympic Games to turn professional, and his change-over was due to the offer made to him by Tex Rickard, who secured the services of the Algerian to compete in a series of professional marathon races m America. Cable advices to hand state that in the first of the series El Ouafi won by a “street” from Joie Ray. Now’, Joie Ray is w r hat the Aussies w’ould call “a bit of a character.” He earned the name of “Chesty” Ray for the confident manner in which he often talked his way to victory, and competed in the 1924 games at Colombes stadium. Returing to America, he left the amateur ranks to take up professional coaching, but there was much surprise to athletic followers (writes “Miler” in “New Zealand Sportsman”) when it was learned that he had been reinstated, and was to run for America in the 1928 games at Amsterdam. Formerly a world’s class miler, he competed in the marathon, and filled second place to El Ouafi, and now he has crossed the line once more, and this time “for keeps.” Another Nurmi

When it was announced that El Ouafi had won the marathon at the Olympic Games, there was a general rush to ascertain who he was, and files show that he was not unknown, having quite a few good runs to his credit. He was born in Biskra, Algiers, on October 18, IS9B, and he competed under the French colours in the Amsterdam games. During the war he was a courier with the French Army, running under conditions that tested his courage and resources, though they were somewhat different from running the traditional 26 miles 385 yards of the quadrennial games, even through the desolate marshes of Holland, which baffled most of the runners from other countries. El Ouafi looks almost too frail for the role that he is enacting—that of winner of the severest athletic race that is run. However, he is wiry, and even lithe, and there is a fire of competition in his eyes. He is sft sin in height, and weighs only 1241 b. His time in the Amsterdam race was less than 22 seconds behind the record time made by Hannes Kolehmainen. of Finland, in the Antwerp games. El Ouafis’ time was 2 hours 30 minute 57 seconds over what was regarded as a heavy course.

a. He Smokes! The Algerian is a vegetarian, but while his training excludes meats, it does not exclude smoking. He smokes regularly, and does not believe that this recreation interferes with his wind. In many ways El Ouafi recalls Clarence De Mar, Melrose printer, who runs to and from work every day. El Ouafi runs three miles a day every day. He leaves his task as a day labourer in the Renault factory at Billancourt, and doggedly goes through his exercises each day, trying to speed up a bit more. He has been indefatigable, and be has won his reward.