While most of Britain's leading athletes are making an all-out bid for a place in the Empire and European Games teams later this year, Kevin Mather, of Wallasey Athletic Club. has his sights fixed on the 1964 Olympic Games, in Tokyo.
Starting the season with a best mile performance of 4 minutes 11 seconds, Mather set himself a target of 4 minutes 4 seconds during the summer.
Invitations to run at indoor meetings in the South, at which he had some success, gave Mather's early season track form that extra edge and in Manchester on Easter Monday he was able to lower his best mile time to 4 minutes 6 seconds.
Although he has not won a county championship, something he is determined to remedy in this year's events at Winnington Park on July 21, Mather has represented Cheshire both over the country and on the track.
Cheshire have surprisingly omitted him from their team in the inter-counties championships, at White City, London, this week-end, giving the mile spot to international Mike Berisford, of Sale.
Mather naturally wishes Berisford well, but this move has increased the rivalry between the two and their meetings throughout the season should produce some keen races.
Coached by Wallasey club colleague, Bob McCaig, Mather is an old boy of Oldershaw Grammar School. He took up athletics seriously in 1956, during his national service with the R.A.F. and was runner- up in the Cheshire 880 yards championships in 1958 and 1961, He is 24 and a cigarette salesman.
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Source - Liverpool Echo - Wednesday, 06/06/1962 by Paul O’Brien
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