Berwick’s Fred Brooks (left), with Narre Warren North MP Luke Donnellan.– Rebecca Fraser
BERWICK marathon man Fred Brooks is set to run the race of his life – all 500 metres of it.
The 71-year-old world record-breaking endurance walker/runner will take part in the Queen’s Baton Relay next March for the 2006 Commonwealth Games in Melbourne.
Mr Brooks said he had been shocked by news that he had been chosen.
“I applied to be a volunteer at the Games and went through the process and received confirmation that I had been picked,” he said.
“When I went for accreditation one of the girls said I should apply for the baton relay. So I filled in the form and received the shock of my life when they said I had been chosen.”
Mr Brooks holds 20 Australian records for endurance walking/running and two world records. His leg of the baton relay will see him run through Dandenong on 2 March.
Earlier this year he smashed iconic distance athlete Cliff Young’s world record for the 100 mile-running/walking endurance race at Queensland’s Runaway Bay.
The former development coach with the Victorian Soccer Federation spotted a young Mark Viduka playing in Rosebud more than 15 years ago and helped him play representative soccer.
He said he immediately knew that the current Australian Socceroos captain and star striker had great potential.
He said he and his wife Lillian were looking forward to the baton relay.
