Britain’s Prospects At Olympic Games

Press, Volume XCIII, Issue 27992, 12 June 1956, Page 10

Britain’s Prospects At Olympic Games

(From a Reuter Correspondent)

v, .. . ... LONDON. Britain will send the best team possible to the Olympic Games in Melbourne. but her hopes of winning gold medals are slim. The aim of the British Olympic Association is to send all those who have a chance of finishing m the first six and at least one representative for every sport. If S? OU A gh ™ one y is forthcoming from the Appeals Fund, the target for which ls £75,000, then others capable of putting un a good show will be sent A member of the British Olympic Association said: “Britain will do all in its power to enter a worthy and representative team.” A large number of nations will send teams to Melbourne and not every one can hope to return home with many, if any, gold medals. *

‘Our own competitors will give of their utmost and, as in previous Games, will, we are sure, exceed their own individual best performances. We cannot ask for more from them than that.

We hope many will be placed among the first six of their event but i°L gold we can only trust that the fates are with us and we shall sain our deserved share. This would be some recompense for the many months of rigorous trainin" earned out by our comnetitnrs, and for the support we hope to receive from the natmn as a whole.

Our amateur team will go to Melbourne with high hearts knowing full well the stern task that lies ahead of tnem and eager to take part in the greatest of all sporting celebrations, where its members can live in friendship and understanding with competitors from other nations from all over the world.” “No Illusions” There are no illusions as to the strength of the teams which will be opposing the British men and women competitors who flv to Melbourne early in November. Lessons learned during the last Olympic Games in Helsinki showed that it does not pay to be too optimistic beforehand. there is a tendency to overlook the fact that, however great the advance in prowess of the home athletes, those of other nations have also progressed. Thus, the British officials hope to return to Britain for Christmas having achieved better performances than anticipated and not disappointed as a result of having set their hopes too high.

The size of the British team depends on the money subscribed, money which is being gathered the hard way by an appeal fund. The British public are paying for their team to go to Australia—not the Government, as is the case with so many of their rivals. All manner of schemes are being thought out to raise funds, such as film and stage first nights, sports meetings and matches, and charity balls. Although the appeal comes at a difficult time when the Chancellor of the Exchequer is squeezing the citizens in a bid to prevent inflation, the money will somehow nr other be found to send a representative team. The British Olympic Committee must reckon on each competitor costing a minimum of £5OO. If the target is reached, then a team of between 100 and 150 will be sent. Whatever happens, no man or woman witji a chance of winning a medal will be omitted.

e .. Dube ° f Edinburgh, who will open the Sixteenth Olympiad in Melbourne on November 22. has expressed 2E» ong Vlews ’ n Government support Many people,” he said at the dinner at which the appeal fund was launched, have suggested that the Government should take a hand. I think that is Quite wrong. The team we want tn send should be composed of amateurs and not temporary civil servants. This venture must rest squarely on the voluntary support of the individual.” Not everyone here agrees with his sentiments. There are those who would have Britain .send the strongest team possible, numerically, to be on a footing with the Russians and Americans, irrespective of how the money is obtained to send them. Britain’s best hopes lie not in Melbourne but in Stockholm where the Equestrian events are being held in June. At the last Olympiad in 1952 it was the British equestrian team which won Britain’s only Gold Medal of the Games. It could be that history will reneat itself this year.

There are possibilities in the track and field events with perhaps the versatile girl from Northern Ireland. Trielma Konkins, holding the best chance of all in the high jump. Many of the other girls will do well, bu< minor placings are all that, on known are Jikely to come their way. The chief hones among the men appear to lie with the middle-distance runners, Derek Johnson and Brian Hewson, Chris Chataway in the 5009 metres and Gordon Pirie and Ken Norrie in the 10,000 metres. Norman Shiel. the World and Empire pursuit champion, gives Britain a sporting chance in the cycling events, but it is difficult to find chances of top honours in the other sports, with the possible exception of yachting, boxins and perhaps swimming. In the team events, the British hockey plavers will give a good-account of themselves and. although thev will probably have to yield first and second places to the Indians and Pakistanis, might well take the bronze medals.