Ohi RACEWALKER
OHi RACEWALKER VOLUME XXV, NUMBER 7 COLUMBUS, OHIO SEPTEMBER 1989 Baker Comes of Age on Top of the World by Gerard Wright Wrom the Melbourne, Australia Herald, July 25, 1989 courtesy of John Allen) Simon Baker's progress to preeminence in his chosen field has been very much like his race speed of 13 km/hr: steady and occasionally painful, but with a specific goal very firmly in mind. Baker has been a race walker for 21 of his 31 years, accumulating victories, experience, and his own unique philosophy to life and sport along the way; an interstate Little Athletics title at the age of 12, a junior Australian title over 3000 meters at 18, Australian senior titles in his early 20s, 11th in the 20 Km at the Los Angeles Olympics in 1984, the 1986 Commonwealth Carnes 20 Km walk title at 28, sixth in the 50 km walk at last year's Olympics in Seoul. Simon Baker reached his summit on Sunday, May 28 in a small town near Barcelona, Spain, winning the World Walking Cup 50 Km race, a glorious and very logical highlight in a career that has been a tribute to patience and persistence. Race wa lkers, though they would warmly dispute it, are the mavericks of the athletic world. The field athletes-shotputters and discus, javelin and hammer throwers--tend to be a law unto themselves, and are of such a size that no one would think of poking at them. But the walkers train in public with a gait that always inspires comment.
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