1.
GV CROWD
0.03

2.
SV PAN COMPETITORS ON MARK AND AWAY WITH WILLIS IMMEDIATELY DRAWING AHEAD FOLLOWED BY CHAMBERLAIN (AT TEN FEET OTHER COMPETITORS OUT OF PICTURE)
0.22

3.
SLV WILLIS LEADING CHAMBERLAIN ROUND BEND
0.35

4.
CU JUDGES
0.36

5.
SV PAN WILLIS LEADING CHAMBERLAIN IN SECOND LAP WITH CHAMBERLAIN DRAWING UP AS THEY APPROACH BEND
0.59

6.
SLV PAN CHAMBERLAIN ALMOST LEVEL WITH WILLIS WHO PULLS AHEAD INTO STRAIGHT TO WIN
1.26

7.
GV CROWD
1.28

8.
SCU WILLIS
1.33



Initials IM/V/JF/FW


SPORT: ATHLETICS

Script is copyright Reuters Limited. All rights reserved

Background: A LARGE CROWD TURNED OUT AT A SPORTS MEETING IN PERTH, WESTERN AUSTRALIA ON MAR 3, TO SEE DIXIE WILLIS OF AUSTRALIA AND MARISE CHAMBERLAIN OF NEW ZEALAND BEAT THE OFFICIAL WOMEN'S WORLD RECORD FOR THE 880-YARDS AND 800 METRES TRACK EVENT.

ALL THE FOUR COMPETITORS GOT OFF TO A GOOD START WITH MISS WILLIS MOVING STRAIGHT INTO THE LEAD FOLLOWED BY THE NEW ZEALAND GIRL CHAMBERLAIN. THESE TWO SOON PULLED WELL AHEAD OF THE OTHER TWO GIRLS IN THE RACE. BOTH WALLIS AND CHAMBERLAIN WERE OUT TO BREAK THE WORLD RECORD FOR THE DISTANCE.

THROUGHOUT THE FIRST LAP, MISS CHAMBERLAIN CLUNG HARD TO MISS WILLI'S HEELS, WITH THE OTHER TWO CONTESTANTS OUT OF CAMERA RANGE. THE WOMEN'S RECORD FOR THE 800 METRES IS TWO-MINUTES-FOUR-POINT-FOUR-SECONDS SET AT THE ROME OLYMPICS BY L. SHEVTSOVA, OF RUSSIA, AND THE RECORD FOR THE HALF-MILE IS HELD BY THE ENGLISH GIRL, JOY JORDAN, AT TWO-MINUTES-SIX-POINT-ONE-SECONDS.

IN THE SECOND LAP, DIXIE WILLIS WAS STILL SETTING A CRACKING PACE WITH MARISE CHAMBERLAIN ANSWERING THE CHALLENGE ALL THE WAY, BUT THE GIRL WHO HOLDS THE NEW ZEALAND QUARTER AND HALF-MILE RECORDS COULD MAKE NO IMPRESSION ON THE LOCAL CHAMPION.

INTO THE STRAIGHT AND DIXIE WILLIS WAS STILL LEADING BY A NARROW MARGIN. UNDER PRESSURE SHE SHOWED WHAT A GREAT RUNNER SHE IS BY DRAWING SLIGHTLY AHEAD TO GO ON TO WIN IN A NEW WORLD RECORD RIME OR TWO-MINUTES-TWO-SECONDS, CLIPPING FOUR-POINT-ONE SECONDS OFF THE RECORD. MARISE CHAMBERLAIN'S TIME OF TWO-MINUTES-TWO-POINT-THREE SECONDS WAS ALSO INSIDE THE PREVIOUS RECORD. BOTH GIRLS ALSO BETTERED THE WORLD RECORD FOR 300 METRES. DIXIE'S TIME WAS TWO-MINUTES-ONE-POINT-TWO SECONDS ... ALMOST FOUR-SECONDS INSIDE THE RECORD.