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Initials JT/V/AW/JG



Script is copyright Reuters Limited. All rights reserved

Background: ANOTHER TRIUMPH FOR NEW ZEALAND'S WORLD RECORD-BREAKING RUNNER PETER SNELL. IN JOHANNESBURG YESTERDAY (SATURDAY). HE WON THE 880-YARDS EVENT AT THE SOUTH AFRICAN GAMES. BUT HIS TIME WAS NEARLY SEVEN SECONDS OUTSIDE HIS OWN WORLD RECORD.

FOR MOST OF THE RACE, SNELL (WEARING THE TRADITIONAL KIWI ALL BLACK) JOGGED ALONG IN SECOND PLACE BEHIND THE SOUTH AFRICAN HENNIE MEINTJIES. IT WAS NOT UNTIL 150 YARDS (135 METRES) FROM THE FINISH THAT THE NEW ZEALANDER SPURTED TO PASS MEINTJIES TO GO ON AND WIN BY FIVE YARDS (4.5 METRES).

MEINTJIES WAS SECOND AND ANOTHER SOUTH AFRICAN VAUGHAN JACKLIN, THIRD. SNELL'S TIME WAS 1 MINUTE 51.8 SECONDS, AS AGAINST HIS WORLD RECORD OF 1:45.1 AND THE SOUTH AFRICAN RECORD OF 1:48.5 WHICH HE SET THE PREVIOUS WEEK.

HE WAS WELL BELOW HIS BEST BECAUSE OF A STOMACH COMPLAINT, AND WAS AFFECTED BY THE ALTITUDE (5,740 FEET -- 1750 METRES). SNELL, WHO IS FAVOURITE TO WIN THE 1500 METRES AT THIS YEAR'S TOKYO OLYMPICS, WAS PRESENTED WITH A GOLD MEDAL BY THE PRESIDENT OF THE SOUTH AFRICAN AMATEUR ATHLETIC UNION, MR. M. H. W. MARE.