Games Sidelights

Press, Volume XCVII, Issue 28646, 24 July 1958, Page 5

Games Sidelights

(N.Z Press Association—Copyright)

CARDIFF, July 22. i The three-day Empire Games! rowing regatta ended in some- 1 thing of a fiasco on Lake Padarn. i Officials and their friends, includ- { ing several women, scampered from the floating judge's box when I it suddenly lurched and began to; sink rapidly before coming to rest j at a crazy angle on a mudbank. The Duke of Edinburgh, who; presented the rowing medals this;

afternoon, had left the box only minutes before. Those in the box fled along the narrow cat-walk connecting it with the shore. One of the two launches carrying broadcasters and officials behind the scullers broke down. The public address system failed and in the double sculls no official i times were taken for New Zealand (third) and Canada (fourth). In the toughest event of all at the Empire Games, the 26-mile marathon. Ireland will be represented by a grandfather. The Irish competitor is John Hemming, aged 50, who told the “Daily Herald” he runs 70 miles a day in training. He has been a top athlete for 31 years. ¥ * ¥ Three medal-winning New Zealanders—Mary Donaghy, second in the women’s high jump, Murray Halberg, winner, and lan Scott third in the three miles—had to go through an experience which rather intimidated Valerie Sloper after she had won the Empire Games shot put last week. They were paraded before scores of newspaper representatives who wanted to know "all about them. They all took it in their stride. Miss Donaghy was completely composed and answered questions about her life in New Zealand, how she trained, what she felt like as a medal winner and what her future matrimonial plans were.

England’s Empire Games team cycling manager, Mr Benny Foster, said tonight: “I’m out to protect my boys against Australian riders—Dick Ploog is the man I have in mind. Ploog knows all the tricks.” Mr Foster was speaking shortly after Ploog had beaten the British national sprint champion, Lloyd Binch, twice in a “best of three” semi-final, to enter the final of the 1000 metres scratch sprint tomorrow night. The experienced Ploog will meet one of the 1 youngsters-ef the England team, 21-year-bld Karl Barton, of Coventry, in the final. * * sj:

Murray Halberg’s trainer, the former national marathon champion, Mr Arthur Lydiard, said in Auckland yesterday that he was

,! looking forward to the meeting • of Heib Elliott and Halberg in the ! Cardiff mile on Saturday. “Murray is just the boy who could top {him off.’’ Mr Lydiard said. He i had been working Halberg up to i distances for many years. “When i a man’s a potential Olympic . champion, you must nurse him along. Next year Murray will > • concentrate on the 10,000 metres ; with the next Olympic Games in view.”—(P.A.)