LOVELOCK AGAIN.

Auckland Star, Volume LXVII, Issue 194, 17 August 1936, Page 12

LOVELOCK AGAIN.

THREE MILES AT WHITE CITY. AMERICA BEATS THE EMPIRE. RECORDS IX DISTAXCE RELAYS. LOXDOX, August 16. The White City was packed on Saturday with 100,000 spectators — the largest number who ever witnessed an athletic match in Britain— for the contest between the Empire and the United States. The size of the crowd was due chiefly to the presence of the American Jesse Owens and nine other world record breakers. The teams, on parading round the arena, were received with a tumult of cheers. J. E. Lovelock (Xew Zealand) gave the Empire its first victory by winning the three miles in 14m 14.85. Burns (Britain ) was second. Lovelock attempted to break Lehtinen's world record, but failed through lack of pacemakers. He won by 40 yards and beat the British native record. Classic Two Miles. The events had started with a two miles relay race in which the first half-mile was run in 1m 535. MacCabe dead-heated with Hornbostel, both of whom were finalists in the 800 metres at Berlin. Boot (Xew Zealand) lost two yards in changing batons, but picked up the gap, and although Young beat him by four yards at the finish, the Xew Zealander fought pluckily. Time for the opening mile, 3m 49.25. Backhouse took over for the Empire against Williamson, who was sixth in the final at Berlin. The Australian, in spite of the deficit, ran a marvellously plucky race and was beaten by only a yard. Time for a mile and a half, 5m 43.65. The tall, long-striding Woodruff repeatewdly staved off gallant challenges by Powell, the British half-mile champion, and America won by three yards in world record time. America, assisted bv Owens and Metcalfe, won the 400 yards race in 37.45, the fastest time in the Anglo-American meetings. Baton Falls, But Empire Wins. The Empire won the mile relay in spite of losing a yard in changing the baton, and created a world record of 3m 10.65. Roberts, who was fourth at Berlin in the 400 metres, was Britain's first string and finished a yard behind Williams, the winner of the 400 metres at Berlin. Ranipling (Britain) and Fritz (Canada) followed against Fitch and Hardin, the winner of th? 400 metres hurdles at Berlin. Brown (Britain) started in the last lap two yards behind the American negro Luvalle, and after a splendid race beat him by half a yard. The Empire, chiefly owing to a magnificent effort by Loaring (Canada), who was second in the 400 metres hurdles at Berlin, won the two laps steeplechase by a foot in 8m 7.65. The Americans. Hornhostel. Venzke, San Romani and Glen Cunningham, won the four miles relay in 17m 17.25, a world record. America also won the high jump, Johnson beating the British record with 6ft 7in. Meadows (America) beat the British pole vault record with 14ft 2in. Metcalfe (Australia) did not compete. America won the long jump aggregate with 72ft O'/iin, the Empire's total being 66ft lOViin. A fine, hot afternoon assisted the record breaking. America won the mile medley in 3m 23.45. in spite of a terrific effort by the Canadian Edwards against Woodruff in the last half-mile. The time was the second fastest of the series. Boot and Backhouse in Form. The American victory on points was chiefly due to all-round superiority in field events. Vernon Boot (Xew Zealand) and Gerald Backhouse (Australia) can claim a considerable share of the credit for the world record America was forced to run in the two miles relay. Unfortunately, the individual times of the Empire runners were not taken, or it would be seen that both ran one of the best half-miles in their careers.