Jelley, Walker - together again

27/7/2009

Arch Jelley (1936-40) is best known as coach of legendary New Zealand middle distance runner John Walker, and that association was recognised in Wellington on Friday.

A life membership of Athletics New Zealand for Sir John came as a bolt from the blue, with the honour having been mooted by his former coach who himself received a merit award at the same gathering in the capital.

Arch Jelley and John Walker - the world-renowned and feared combination together again.

Walker was humbled by the award, noting that to be “recognised by your peers is probably the pinnacle of anyone’s career.’’

‘‘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 then paid tribute to Arch, with whom he has had a close relationship since he was a teenager.

They first met at a harriers meeting in Auckland when Walker was 17. Arch later told him he was going to be in the same league as triple Olympic Games gold medallist Peter Snell, and that he would one day break 3min 50sec for the mile.
John Walker became the first person to do exactly that in 1975, setting the world record of 3min 49.4sec at Gothenburg, in Sweden. In an 18-year track career, he also won gold over 1500m at the 1976 Montreal Olympics and was the first person to run more than 100 sub-4min miles.

‘‘I mean, I hadn’t even broken anything . . . and then he said one day I would emulate Peter Snell’s record of winning a gold medal. That’s a pretty bold statement when you’re a young kid,’’ Walker said on Friday.

He said he didn’t believe Arch at the time and said many other talented young athletes probably had a similar attitude when told of their potential. He said it was important to get as many young people as possible to participate in sport through clubs and he himself is working to achieve that.

Arch was a fine runner himself before turning to coaching, representing Otago, Wellington and W.C.N.I. centres in national cross country events for a decade from 1946. He was once the Wellington six mile and W.C.N.I. three mile champion. Having served in WWII as a sub. Lieutenant (submarines), Arch became a school teacher, rising to the ranks a headmaster.

He was awarded OBE for Services to Sport, coached two NZ Olympic Games' teams, two New Zealand World track and field championship teams and one Commonwelath Games’ team.

Arch lives in retirement in Auckland.