Athletics: Hard work makes a winner

By TERRY MADDAFORD

Between them Peter Snell and John Walker admit up to 116 years. That they still hold six New Zealand track records, the last of which was set 21 years ago, tells a story they would probably prefer not to talk about.

Together on stage for the first time, two of New Zealand's greatest athletes - guests at a Peter Snell Institute of Sport lunch - looked back and forward at a sport that gave them so much and brought special pride to all New Zealanders.

"There is no substitute for hard work," said Walker, who still holds the national marks over 1500m, a mile, 2000m, 3000m and shares the 1000m record with Snell, who still has the 800m record he set more than 40 years ago.

"We used to get out and run. Even before I started running, I ran five or six miles to the tennis court," said Walker.

"Today, kids sit in front of computers and get driven to school.

"There is too much political correctness in schools. The kids are all told they are equal. We don't tell them how good they are - or could be. Kids love praise.

"We have good coaches. Athletics should be kept simple. Provided you work hard you don't need flash gear, chiropractors and shrinks. Shoes costing $200 and $500 tracksuits aren't going to make you run faster.

"There is no easy way to the top."

Walker paid tribute to Snell and the "phenomenal" 1m 44.3s he ran on a grass track to set the 800m world record in 1962.

"While in Europe recently, I watched an 800m where they ran 1m 44s. Not on a grass track and in a race where they had three [paid] pacemakers to 600m. If he [Snell] had those conditions he would have run 1m 41s."

Snell said that in today's environment he and Walker would be looked on as freaks among the middle distance runners.

"We are both about 6ft tall and reasonably well built," said Snell.

"But the best now are very light with V8 motors. They are so skinny if you held them up to the light, you could see what they had for breakfast."

Like Walker, Snell succeeded through hard work and the belief of coach Arthur Lydiard.

"Arthur said to me that if I trained hard I could be New Zealand's best runner."

Walker had other warnings.

"The agents are killing the sport. They have already ruined the Kenyans and with it interest. They had 14,000 at the meeting in Oslo earlier this month. When we were running, they had 25,000.

"The crowds are dying for great races, not necessarily fast times," he said.

"Having three or four pacemakers makes for boring races. The complete athlete has to be able to win off a fast or slow pace."

Snell continues to advocate for a structured talent identification programme.

"I'm reminded of Nadia Comenici's coach Bela Karolyi. He went out looking for young gymnasts saying we [Romanians] should have kids capable of matching the Russians. He found Comenici."

For the 350 at yesterday's lunch, Snell and Walker were indeed proof of what can, with hard work, be achieved.

Sadly, it does not happen often these days, although Walker is convinced Wellington's Nick Willis might not be too far away.