THE MARATHON.

Press, Volume LXVIII, Issue 20619, 8 August 1932, Page 7

THE MARATHON.

SAVIDAN WITHDRAWS; (.Received August 7th, 11.35 p.m.) LOS ANGELES, August 6. J. W. Savidan (New Zealand) has decided to withdraw from tho Marathon, which is to be run to-morrow. He is conserving his strength for the longdistance races. 5000 METRES RACE. NEW ZEALANDER FOURTH. CROWD DEMONSTRATES AGAINST FINNISH WINNER. LOS ANGELES, August I. Tho 5000 metres final was probably the most interesting contest of the Olympic Games thus far, and easily developed the most ill-feeling, with the American audience giving a sample of bad manners that drew a remonstrance from the Master of Ceremonies. "Please remember that these people are our guests," he said, drawing a cheer from tho better-natured part of the immense audience, and ultimately quietening down'the stands. Lehtinen (Finland), who was clearly the winner when the race entered the last lap, weaved back and forth, impeding Hill, who was pressing him. The crowd booed unmercifully. J. W. Savidan, of New Zealand, was fourth. The dispute concerning Lehtinen's running tossed a bombshell into the Games, with Finland's greatest young runner facing charges only a week after tho banishment from the Games of Paavo Nurmi. United States observers in the stands said that Lehtinen carried Hill wide, and then twice shifted his direction as tho American attempted to pass. It was a race that saw one contestant on the point of collapse at the finish. It opened with Lehtinen first, and the others in order as follows:—Patterson, Savidan, Hill, Hillhouse, and Vertanen. Tho time for the first 400 metres was 63sec. Vertanen, in the Second lap, I went up to first place. Savidan dropped ;to fifth place in the third lap, with ! Hillhouso seventh, but all the runners wero close together. Hillhouse went up to sixth place in the fifth lap, but dropped to eighth in the sixth lap, and to ninth in the seventh, being 75 metres behind the leader. Hill went to third place, and Savidan to fourth in the eighth lap, with Hillhouse in 10th place 120 metres behind. | The race in the ninth lap developed into an open duel between Lehtinen ■and Hill* with Vertanen third, Savidan fourth, and Hillhouse 10th, 250 metres behind.. The positions remained the same for the 10th lap, with Savidan 75 metres behind the leaders, and Hillhouse dropping to 300 metres farther in the rear. Lehtinen and Hill began to pace each other, and were 30 metres ahead of tho field. . The last lap resolved itself into a gruelling contest between Lehtinen and Hill, with the American forcing the Finn, but hardly strong enough dispute first place. Savidan finished strongly 100 metres behind Vertanen Hill house, in ninth place 350 metres be-, hind the field, was exhausted. The Japanese Takenaka, a tiny iio-ure, was lapped once and a-half, but finished with a burst of speed and collapsed. He was helped off the field, 75.000 persons cheering him. Mr Kirby,hcad of the-American Amateur Athletic Union, announced after the rake that the chief judge refused to disqualify Lehtinen. It is unofficially reported" that the- American officials are filing a protest with the International Amateur Athletic Federation.

New Olympic Becord. After more than an hour's delay it was officially announced that Lehtmen had won the* 5000 metres in Hmin 30sec, a new Olvmpie record. The chief judge issued a statement saying: "I am of the opinion that number 125 did not wilfully interfere with number 433 in the finish." Lindgren (Sweden) was fifth, and Syring (Germany) sixth. The chief judges' statement was signed by Arthur Holz (Germany), who succeeded Gustavus Kirby, of the United States, as chief judge in ruling for tne time being. For diplomatic reasons J. S. Edstrom (Sweden), president of the International Amateur Athletic Association, pencilled but did not sign the following statement, which was otherwise officially authorised on his behalf: "Although the authorities of the Amateur Athletic Union of the United States consider the race was not fairly tud, there will be no official protest from either''Mr Hill or the United States. J'ames Burns (Britain) was placed seventh, Daniel Dean (United States) eighth, A. J. Hillhouse (Australia) ninth, Eobert Rankine (Canada) tenth, and S. Takenaka eleventh. Paul Rekers (United States), Roger Rochard (France), and Erik Pettersson (Sweden)' dropped out. So close was the finish that both Lehtinen and Hill are credited with having broken the Olympic record, m 14min 30sec. 400 Metres. William. Carr (United States) won the final of the 400 metres, with Ben Eastman (U.S.A.) second, and Alex. Wilson (Canada) third. Gcorgo Golding (Australia) was sixth. The time, 40 l-ssee, is a world's record. The first heat of the 400 metres semifinal was a slashing race, bitterly fought, and taking everything the runners had, developing phenomenal speed, and disclosing Golding's quality as a first-ranker. The Australian drew tho strongest competition in his heat, compared with the second. Golding, running against five men, drow lane four. Carr was behind him. Rampling and Bucchner, who were out ahead, _ drew away from Einner, who was running in the third lane. Golding seemed to fall behind the latter at the half-way mark, but a better estimate of how the men were running was possible as they came round the last curve, and entered into the straight. Carr was putting on speed, and began to draw away, obviously tho winner. Wilson was yards behind him 50 metres from the finish. Rampling was third, another yard behind, and half a foot in the rear for fourth was Golding. With tho first two places obvious, tho race now developed into a struggle between Rampling and the Australian. Tho men weroall out, and tho result was doubtful until the iinishing-ljnc was about reached, when the Australian literally hurled himself across to oust the Englishman by a few inches and qualify for the final. The time, _ 47 l-issec. seemed to indicate that Golding possibly equalled tho old Olympic 10cord.

Eastman had a virtual romp to win the second heat. Ho ran in lane one, and once around the last bend ho was as good as home. Moro interest was developed by Walters's outrunning of Stonoley. The South African, running in the lane behind the Englishman, was making great speed as the men turned the bend, and he improved his distance easily in the stretch, to beat Stonoley by two yard?. The Final. In the 400 metres final the men started in the following order: Walters, Eastman, Wilson, Carr, Gordon, and Ciolding. Tho Australian was out in front in lane six. He held his position around tho first curve, but Gordon began to overtake him in the first straight, and •was ahead of him at the half-way mark. Carr began to draw ahead of both Gordon and Golding around the second curve, while Eastman, who by now had overtaken Walters, was going strongly after Wilson. Golding dropped tp last place as tho curve was rounded, and as-the men went into tho straight Eastman overtook Wilson, and now the spectators howled, for the race had finally resolved itself into what the crowd had expected—namely, another duel between Eastman and Carr. The latter soon showed himself the winner. He drew away from the blond Californian about a yard, leaving Wilson and Walters to fight it out for third place. Tho South African lost control only by inches. Gordon was fifth, three yards behind, with Golding in the rear. Golding's performance an any other company but this would have been considered excellent. His time was 48 4-ssce. Swimming and Yachting. Swimming fifth in his heat of the 300 metres free-style event of the pentathlon, Lieut, ltichard Mayo (U.S.A.) successfully defended his lead over a large field to-day, while Count Oxenstierna displaced Carlo Simon etti (Italy) in second place. Great Britain won the opening race of the series for monotype racing yachts, defeating 10 other .entrants by setting a pace of one hour nine minutes 20 seconds for twice round the triangular course, four miles long. Colin Ratsey was skipper. Bob Maaa (Holland) was second, and William Lyon (U.S.A.) third. , it Eleven races will be sailed by the monotype yachts, the skippers changing boats for "each race. Scoring is on the point system. Hector Berra (Argentina) and Wilson Charles (the United States Indian) yirtually deadlocked to-day in the point score, after finishing two of the 10 events in the decathlon championship, Charles breaking the Olympic decathlon record with a broad jump of 23ft ©in. He led in points by a fractional margin with 1768.765. Berra and Akilles Jarvinen (Finland) tied for first in the decathlon 100 metres. The timo was 11 l-10sec, with Charles next, 11 l-ssec. Eesults: — 400 Metres. First semi-final. W. Carr (U.S.A.) •• .. 1 Alex. Wilson (Canada) .. 2 George Golding Time 47 l-ssec. G. Uampling (Britain was fourth, in a close finish with Golding. Carr's timo sets a new Olympic record. Felix Einncr (Australia) was fifth and Joachim Bcuchner (Germany) sixth. Second Semi-final. Ben Eastman (U.S.A.) .. 1 W. Walters (South Afrcia) ..2 James Gordon (U.S.A. > .. 3 Time 47 3-ssec. Borj Strandvalf (Finland) was fourth, C. Stonoley (Britain) fifth., and James Ball (Canada) sixth. Three in each semi-final qualify. Final. William Can- (U.S.A.) . .1 Ben Eastman (U.S.A.) .. '-' ! Alex. Wilson (Canada) .. o The rest were bunched. George Golding (Australia) was sixth. Time 46 1-j sec—a world's record. W. Walters was fourth, and James Gordon fifth. 5000 Metres. Final. Laud Lehtinen (Finland) .. I Ralph Hill (U.S.A.) ... - 2 L. Vertanon (Finland) .. 3 J. W. Savidan (New- Zealand) 4 A. J. Hillhousc (Australia) was ninth. Tho ■' United States prepared to protest against Lehtinen's victory for alleged blocking tactics in the final rush. Lehtinpii won by a close margin. The chief judge, Gustavns Kirby (United States) refused to disqualify. Lehtinen,

though it is reported that the majority of the other judges believed a foul had been committed. Hill, after tho race, expressed tho belief that Lehtinen's tactics were unintentional, the Finn merely staggering. Soprolonged was the argument among the judges and track inspectors, added to the crowd's unprecedented demonstration, that the details, time, and placwere lost in the shuffle for the time being. Fencing. Gustavo Marzi (Italy) won the iudivirlual men's foils championship, being victorious in all nine of his bouts. Joseph Levis (United States) was second.