Seat by the water-jump
Back in the good old days of Melbourne interclub, when every distance runner had to compete in the steeple for club points, you could always find the ghoulish type of spectator hanging around the water-jump.
Given the rudimentary nature of most steeplers’ hurdling technique, falls at the...
Norm Osborne, who passed away on 25 June after a long illness, was one of Australia’s pre-eminent coaches, guiding the careers of Olympic 400 metres silver medallist Rick Mitchell and former Australian 1500 metres record holders Marg Crowley and Mike Hillardt.
I should immediately add – “among many others”. Although...
Who Wins Again? A Column By Len Johnson
One of the games I like to play as a major championships looms is to ponder which champions might repeat their victories.
The game takes on a heightened significance in Olympic years. No gold shines brighter than Olympic gold, despite the introduction of...
Ghost Who Runs - Fast! | A Column by Len Johnson
Hunched of shoulder, stooped of frame, Ibrahim Jeilan’s running style resembles nothing more than a question mark.
If that is so, then the question Jeilan poses is this: can the last man to defeat Mo Farah for a global 5000...
Justice Delayed Finally Becomes Justice Delivered
Written By Len Johnson
Justice delayed is justice denied is an old legal maxim, but Jared Tallent belatedly received his Olympic gold medal at a ceremony in Melbourne on Friday.
After a couple of sunny early winter’s days, Melbourne was beset with persistent drizzle for the...
Did you see that? (we didn’t) | A Column by Len Johnson
During my years as a full-time journalist, I worked many times with Roy Masters.
A senior sports journalist with the Sydney Morning Herald, Roy had previously been an average country Rugby League player, a teacher and a successful NSW...
A Column By Len Johnson
When Linden Hall ran 4:01.78 for 1500 metres at the Prefontaine Classic last weekend, she leapt to third place on the Oceania all-time list.
Hall’s fabulous performance was also good enough for third all-time Australian and third all-time Victorian.
Fair enough, you might reckon. The opposite of...
Easy as 1, 2, 3 – not!
A, B, C
It’s easy as 1, 2, 3
As simple as Do-Re-Mi . . .
One, two, three: that may be how easy love can be, as the Jackson 5 sang long ago. Selection? Now that’s another thing altogether.
Two recent controversies – one in Ireland,...
Grand week of 1500 | A Column By Len Johnson
Olympic 1500 metres qualifiers for Jenny Blundell, Ryan Gregson and Luke Mathews – it hardly needs saying that it has been a great week for Australian middle-distance running.
In fact, taking into consideration Mathews’s earlier qualifying performance at 800 metres, Melissa...
Chronicler of our sport | A Column By Len Johnson
I never formally met Mike Agostini, who died in Sydney on Thursday (12 May), but I consider myself in his debt.
The debt is both personal and general. Personal, because my first published piece of journalism was a first-hand account of...
