Bill Baillie

Bill Baillie was the likeable and popular Ironman of New Zealand running. Baillie went to the British Empire and Commonwealth Games in 1954, 1958, 1962 and 1966, and was sixth in the Olympic Games 5000m in 1964 in Tokyo, but his claim to fame world-wide was setting world records over 20,000m and one hour at the Lovelock Track in Auckland on 24 August 1963. He recorded 59m 28.6s for 20,000m and covered 20,190m in the hour to break Czech Emil Zatopek’s, who won three gold medals at the 1952 Helsinki Olympics, records.

He won 15 New Zealand titles; 880 yards (2 ’54,’55), mile (2 ’58, ‘61), 3 miles (1 ‘56), 6 miles (7 ’59, ’60, ’63-‘67), cross country (2 ’60, ‘63), road (1 ‘65). His cross country win in 1963 at Cornwall Park Auckland was one of his most notable victories. The New Zealand championship was two weeks before his world record run and he headed in a top field of Barry Magee, Jeff Julian, Neville Scott, Ray Puckett and John Davies. He was the fourth New Zealander to run a sub four minute mile, running 3:59.2 at Cooks Gardens Whanganui in February 1964.

Baillie went on to compete in masters athletics and triathlons including the Ironman. At the New Zealand masters championships he won the M40 cross country in 1976, the M50 cross country in 1986 and the M45 road in 1982. On the track he was the M40 800m and 1500m champion in 1975 and 1976 and the M50 1500m champion in 1985. At the 1981 world masters championships in Christchurch he won gold in the M45 1500m and at the 1983 championships in Puerto Rico won silver in the M45 800m and 1500m.

Baillie, at the age of 31, gave details of his 1965 results. He competed in 54 races for 31 wins, six seconds and six thirds, over 1500m, mile, 2 mile, 3000m, 3 mile, 5000m, 6 mile, 10,000m, three cross country races, five road, including a 15 miler, 25,000m track 1:14:44, a marathon 2:24:29 and a 30 miler 2:52:10. He ran 8037 km, averaged 154.56 km per week. He only had 12 days not training or racing as he was in the air flying. He had two overseas tours and competed in 13 different countries.

His best performances were; 880 yards 1:52.3, mile 3:59.2 1500m converted 3:40.8, 3 miles 13:10.2, 5000m 13:40.0, 6 miles 27:56.8 10,000m converted 29:01.0, 10 miles 48:09.0, marathon 2:20:13.

Noted athletics historian Peter Heidenstrom wrote: “Better runners than Baillie there may have been, but none who left behind more truly memorable races.” He also described Baillie; “Chest like a 44 gallon drum, weightlifters shoulders where a neck should have been, a squeaky voice and irrepressible good humour. Baillie was a natural clown and like the best clowns he was enormously popular.”

He was a long standing member of the Lynndale Athletic Club, he was a past president 1978-80 and was made a Life Member in 1979.

He received the prestigious Lonsdale Cup of the New Zealand Olympic Committee in 1963, was appointed a Member of the New Zealand Order of Merit for his services to athletics in the 2001 Queen’s Birthday Honours and was inducted into the New Zealand Sport Hall of Fame in 2011. He is New Zealand Olympian number 157. He died on 25 December 2018 at Cooks Beach aged 84.

Written by Murray McKinnon