DISSATISFIED ROWERS.

Press, Volume XLVIII, Issue 14408, 16 July 1912, Page 7

DISSATISFIED ROWERS.

THE MARATHON DESCRIBED

(Received, July 16th, 12.15 a.m.)

STOCKHOLM, July 15,

Dissatisfaction is expressed at th© management of the rowing heats, bringing Lcandcr against Canada in tho morning and tho winner against Australia thc samo afternoon. It is hoped that this may be changed.

Hard wick kept close to Hodgson in the final until entering tho Inst dap. Ho and Hatfield turned together. Hatfield with a great sprint in tho homo stretch, ended five yards in front of Hardwick.

Th e non-startors in the Marathon included Davenport, Raynes, and Lewis (England)*.

Kolchmainen (Finland) led, a South .African, Spedes, fo.lowing. At th© turning Gitsham and Kolchmainen led, McArthur being second- and Lord fourth. Kolchmainen collapsed, as did Sharp and Hill at tho fifteen milo. Poultcr fell exhausted and retired four miles from th c finish. Gitsham. when two miles from home, stayed at the foot of a slope for a drink of -water. McArthur, running woll within himeclf, breasted the hill with ens© and gained steadily. He was staggering when signalled to stop, and momentarily collapsed. Ho received a groat ovation and was crowned with a wreath of laurel. Ho was then carried shoulder high with Gitsham. A voice cried, "Hurroo for County " Antrim (McArthur's birthplace). Gitsham finished tho fittest. Sockalexis (United States) and Duffy (Canada) finished three minutes after Strobino, and th© remaining twenty-five within an hour.

Lazaro, a Portuguese competitor, was taken to th© hospital in a dying condition.

The Marathon Raco is founded on the popular belief that a wounded Greek soldier ran from Marathon to Athens with tho news of the victory over tho Persians (490 8.C.), and dropped dead in the city after announcing tho c'orious tidings. Authorities in Greek history, however, regard th© story with more than suspicion. When tlio Olympic Games were revived in Athens in 1806, after more than 1500 years, a Marathon Race was tho chief event, and thero was tremendous enthusiasm when it was won by a Greek peasant. The distance by road from Marathon to Athens is 24 miles 1500 yards. Tho Marathon Raco at tho Games in London in 1908 was won by Hayes, an American. Dorando, an Italian came in first, but he was disqualified, because ho had been helped near the finish. Ho collapsed when running in the Stadium, and again after he finished. Dorando Teas presented with a special prize for his great effort. .

The Marathon course at tho present Games (nearly twenty-five miles) is described ns "a good road, running the entire way through open and practically wild country, with considerable variety of scenery, and some hills which, especially towards tho finish, ivill do trying enough." Competitors had to make two circuits of tho Stad'um beforo starting, nnd cover a fraction of a lap in finishing. Th© number of entries was very large, including one from Japan.