By TERRY MADDAFORD
Running legend John Walker wants to come to the rescue of New Zealand athletics.
In the aftermath of our dismal performance at the Olympics, Walker is chasing one of four seats on the Athletics New Zealand board.
He wants sweeping changes in the way the sport is run. "We need to get some top administrators into the sport," said Walker.
"There were some substandard performances by our athletes at the Sydney Olympics. We need to have a long, hard look at what is going wrong.
"There has been plenty of talk about people having a look at sport in New Zealand - and there is nothing wrong with that - but we need to involve people who have been there, done that, in Olympic sports."
Nominated by the Auckland Athletic Centre and the Hamilton City Hawks, Walker appears a shoo-in for a board seat at the association's annual meeting on October 14.
A 1500m gold medal winner at the Montreal Olympics, he is a Manukau City councillor and has an administrative background that includes five years at the helm of the Variety Club of New Zealand.
"People out there are frustrated," he said. "We have to stop talking and get out and do something.
"The club base, for so long the cornerstone of New Zealand athletics, is no longer there. The [Olympic] standards are too low.
"It is made too easy for the athletes and we seem prepared to accept mediocrity. The athletes need a change of direction."
Walker said he wanted sweeping changes. "Otherwise I am wasting my time.
"If I'm successful [in being elected], I will be looking to set up a think tank which could involve up to 50 people who will all be expected to make a positive contribution.
"[Athletics] is still the sport closest to my heart but something needs to be done.
"I have spoken to people like Rod Dixon, Mike O'Rourke, Allison Roe and Chris Lewis. They all have something to offer but don't know how to go about it. Why did we get rid of people like Arch Jelley and Arthur Lydiard?
"The sport needs them but there must be someone leading the charge [to get them involved]."
In an interview last week, Walker said coaches remained the most important people in the sporting world. Without the coaches, Walker said, you did not have the athletes.
"Many of our problems stem from attitudes. We seem determined to make it all too easy for the athletes. What is wrong with going back to how we used to do it?
"There was nothing wrong with a beer and a pizza on a Friday night. We enjoyed that but still got out and raced on Saturday and headed off on the run around the Waiataruas on Sunday morning. It wasn't easy but we did it. And reaped the rewards."
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