Career
In his late teens and early twenties (having trained as a fitter and turner, losing two of his fingers in the process) he became a well-known figure in local athletics before emigrating to Southern Rhodesia in 1954. The following year he participated in the South African Marathon Championships and came second to January Barnard. Moreover, he ran in the gruelling Comrades Marathon, a 90 km (56 mi) event between the cities of Durban and Pietermaritzburg, and came fourth of 92 entrants.
Of the race he commented: "The downhills bothered me more than the uphills.
My legs became so jarred that I thought I would not be able to finish.".
