Athletics: Sporting body's recognition 'a pinnacle' for Walker

Sir John Walker (right) with his former coach Arch Jelly after they were both honoured by Athletics New Zealand. Photo / Mark Mitchell

A life membership awarded to Sir John Walker by Athletics New Zealand yesterday came as a surprise for the middle-distance running great.

His life membership was proposed at the sporting body's annual meeting in Wellington by his coach Arch Jelley, who was honoured with a merit award.

While a knighthood was hard to top, Walker said the latest honour was a special moment in his career as it was something reserved for only a few.

"To be recognised by your peers is probably the pinnacle of anyone's career," he said. "You don't go into the sport for the accolades, you do it to enjoy it. But to be honoured by all the Athletics New Zealand fraternity is a great honour because I've been amongst these people all my life."

Walker, 58, paid tribute to Jelley, with whom he has had a close relationship since he was a teenager.

He was introduced to Jelley at a harriers cross-country meeting in Auckland at the age of 17.

Jelley later told him that he was going to be in the same league as triple Olympic Games gold medallist Peter Snell, and that he would one day break 3 minutes 50 seconds for the mile.

He became the first person to do exactly that several years later in 1975, setting the world record of 3m 49.4s at Gothenburg, in Sweden.

In an 18-year track career, Walker also won gold over 1500m at the 1976 Montreal Olympics and was the first person to run more than 100 sub-four minute miles.

- NZPA