ATHLETICS

Ashburton Guardian, Volume 55, Issue 295, 26 September 1935, Page 3

ATHLETICS

NOTES FROM MANY FIELDS.

THREE WORLD RECORDS. (By "The Man at the Tape”). By his amazing performances in breaking three world’s records—26ft Bjin for the running broad jump, the 220yds low hurdles in 22 G-lOs and 220yds flat in 20 3-10 s, and equalling the world’s 100yds record in 9 4-10s — Jesse Owens, the Ohio negro athlete, who is about 20 years of age, looks like being one of the great hopes of the United States for the Olympic Games -to be held at Berlin next year. Indications are that Owens will prove a thorn in the side of R. Metcalfe, also a negro and runner-up to Tolan in the 100 metres and 200 metres at the 1932 Los Angeles Olympic Games. This season Owens has been forging to the front. At an indoor carnival in February he set a new world’s indoor broad jump record with a fine effort of 25ft 9in., while he equalled the world’s 60yds dash in 6 l-ss. Schoolboy Athletes. Inter-eity matches at football are a popular feature of winter sports and also the well-known London y. Paris lawn tennis match, says an English writer. Now London and Paris are to meet at athletics, with the schoolboys of the two cities as the contestants. This is the first meeting of its kind, and the organisers are hoping to make it an annual fixture.

The task of choosing the teams to represent London must he a difficult one with so many boys to pick from, but the London officials have decided that the two London boys who accomplished the best performances in events in the public school championships at White City should he invited. Most of them have already accepted. All the usual events in an athletic contest have been included in the programme. There will be sprints and distance races and field events have not been overlooked. Very little is known about the form of the French schoolboys, hut it is expected they will make a good showing. China Awakening. China is taking up athletics in a serious way. Not only is the liking for outdoor sports spreading among the people but the national government is ordering the adoption of regular training in schools and by public officials. General Chiang Kai-shek has decreed that eveiy school teacher and every pupil or student above secondary grade and every public official must henceforth select at least one form of athletic sport and train regularly. His order says:—

"Athletics, as a means of developing the physique of the people, should he regarded as an important part of the programme for the strengthening of the race and the salvation of the nation. It should be actively promoted and universally encouraged. "That is why our forefathers included archery and chariot racing among the six arts which had to be acquired by all scholars and public officials.

"But the public functionaries especially in Quomintang, government and military organs are so fond) of an easy life that they seldom take an interest in athletics. A situation like this is scarcely in accord with the policy of the government to strengthen the nation and the race.” Acting on plans submitted by the Ministry of Education, the executive Yuan has ordered a national athletic meet every two years. Italian Rivals Lovelock.

By defeating Glen Cunningham and Bill Bonjhron so comfortably over a mile at Princeton on June 15, J. E. Lovelock, the brilliant New Zealander, appears to have the measure of the two Americans and there remains now only one well-known athlete who seems capable of defeating him and that is Becalli, the Italian. Lovelock has now met Cunningham, holder of the world’s mile record of 4min G 7-10 sec. on two occasions and honours are even. In the final of the 1500 metres—l2oyards short of a mile—at the Olympic Games Cunningham finished fourth and) Lovelock seventh. The only other occasion upon which they met was on June 15. Lovelock has raced Bonthron four times over a mile and has defeated him on three occasions. On the two occasions on which Lovelock lias laced Be calli the Italian has been the victor. The first occasion was at Los in 1932 and the second 1 over 1500 metres in a special match race at Milan, just after Lovelock had broken the mile record in 1933. In this event Becalli set a terrific pace from the start and he sustained it right to the finish. Lovelock being unable to produce ms usual sprint finish because of the early pace that was set. Becalli established a new 1500 meties record which, however, has since been bioken by Bonthron. With Lovelock in his present superb trim, and Becalli form this season unknown, it is impossible to say which is ready the world’s champion. The probably not he deeded until the 1500 metres is run at the Olympic Games at Berlin next year when the iac should be the event of the tournament, more especially if Lovelock, Becalli Cunningham and Bonthron aio a the field.

1936 Olympic Games. On the outer fringe of Berlin what is perhaps the world’s greatest sports plant is in process of construction, writes Arthur J. Daley in the “New York Times.” It is the Retchssportfeld that will he the scene of the games of the eleventh Olympiad m 1936. Athletic history has had many gigantic undertakings, hut perhaps there never was the concentration or stadia, gymnasia, fields and halls such as is the one now mushrooming in the German capital. When the last nail has been driven, the last rivet set in place, and the last few drops of concrete poured, Germany will be able to present to the world a sports centre .that has never

been equalled. According to the Reich statisticians, mor than a half-million spectators will bo ablp to be seated comfortably in this athletic plant. Nine-tenths of the Olympic activities will bo concentrated in this one spot, with rowing, yachting, for oxample shunted off to other sites. But had the Olympic protocol demanded that these to owould have to be in the "Olympic City” with the stadia and the like then canals would have been dug right there for tho lowing and a lake for the boats. At least, that is what Dr. Hans Luther, the German Ambassador to the United States, smilingly remarked recently. That, of course, is an exaggeration, but so thoroughly is the German Organising Committee going about its business that it would not strain credulity too much for one to believe that possibly the Germans might have done just that had it been necessary. Here is a sample of what actually was done: The stadium that was going to be enlarged into the Olympic Stadium was not exactly in the right .spot. And what did the Germans do about it P They promptly moved the huge arena a hit to the eastward 1 .

The Olympic Stadium itself will he just slightly smaller than tho huge plant at Los Angeles, seating approximately 100,000 to 125,000 for the California coliseum. So well-planned is the entire structure that it will take only thirty minutes to fill or clear tho plant. 3000 Miles for a Race.

The smiling, curly-haired New Zealander, Jack Lovelock, who travelled 3000 miles, for a single race that took him exactly 4min 11 l-ssec to complete, and which brought him the most gratifying- victory of his brilliant career, had ample reward for his travels (states a Princeton message in the "Daily Mail”). Pitted against tho fastest mile runners in the; world here, at the Palmer Stadium, Lovelock drove his spikes into hard, black cinders to vanquish five others in the field, including the redoubtable Glenn Cunningham, world record holder, and "Bill” Bonthron. Princeton University graduate and favourite of a. crowd of 40,000.

Although Lovelock failed to equal or break the record established here at Princeton one year ago by Cunningham, who ran the mile in 4min 6 7-lOscc, the New Zealander was in every respect satisfied with his performance. "After all,” said Lovelock, as he walked toward tho shower room, after facing a battery of photographers and newsreel men, "I was not running for time. I never run for time. 1 went into the race determined to do my best. lam glad I won. I enjoyed it immensely, but Cunningham and Bonthron certainly made me earn my victory. They kept me stepping, and it was no easy job to defeat them.

"You can tell the ‘Daily Mail’ I am happy I won, and that it was certainly worth 3000 miles of travel.” Lovelock said his wind was “solid” during the race. To Bonthron, who came in second, Lovelock’s performance was "splendid.”

"I am certainly glad he won,” said Bonthron. "He is a pretty good friend of mine. As for the race, it was great. I guess Lovelock can heat nre four times out of five, anyway.” Before the race was half over Lovelock’s victory seemed inevitable, for, although Cunningham set the pace, Lovelock was on Glenn’s heels. At tho three-quarter distance Cunningham still had his scant lead over the challenger from across the seas. Bonthron, finding the going getting tougher, relinquished some ground to the black-clad gallant Lovelock. By this time everyone could picture the outcome. They all knew .that Cunningham’s advantage was not sufficient to withstand the final brilliant lastquarter sprint that only Lovelock can put on. Nonchalant, unworried, the New Zealander, as they were going into the straight, swept past the record holder and gracefully breasted the cord first. Cunningham was even passed by Bonthron, but the latter could not cope with the final spurt that brought roaring thousands to their feet with cheers.