JOHN WALKER, the New Zealand world record miler and Olympic gold medallist, has revealed that he is suffering from Parkinson's disease, a disorder of the nervous system that reduces muscular, control.

Walker said that for someone who had been seen as a fit and healthy athlete it had come as "a real shock" to discover something "was wrong. "But when even simple things like knocking on a door or combing my hair became increasingly difficult it was obvious to me something wasn't right." He said despite the rumours he was not going to die. "Initially, I feared (and so did my children) that I was going to be like Muhammad Ali, but I have been assured I won't shake like him and that I should live a reasonably normal life with only a very gradual deterioration over the years. There are a lot of people worse off than me."

Walker, 44, was the first miler to run under 3 minutes 50 seconds. In the Montreal Olympics in 1976 he took gold in the 1,500 metres.