Halberg Sets Record In Three Miles

Press, Volume XCVII, Issue 28646, 24 July 1958, Page 11

Halberg Sets Record In Three Miles

(Special Correspondent N.Z.P.A.)

CARDIFF, July 22. The hero of the New Zealand camp and of the Empire Games crowd at Cardiff Arms Park was Murray Halberg, winner of the gruelling three-mile race, which gave New Zealand its second gold medal. Halberg established a new Games record of 13min 15sec, only four-fifths of a second outside the official world record.

The silver medal went to Australia’s Albert Thomas, who awaits ratification of a recent time of 13min 10.8 sec in Dublin. Neville Scott (New Zealand) took third place. Halberg showed not the slightest effect of his race 10 minutes afterwards. There had been no planning with Scott, he said. He had' worked out his plan of attack and had stuck to it with a wary eye all the time on Thomas and Gordon Pirie. Halberg, with Scott, remained in a bunch at first, while Thomas tools the lead, but Halberg went away at the start of the eighth lap with Scott in support and Thomas third. Pirie and Ibbotson were fourth and fifth. Two and a half miles were covered in llmin 7sec and then Halberg shot out in front to lead by 40 yards. John Merriman passed Ibbotson and went in full chase after Pirie and Driver (England), who were lying fifth and sixth. But at the end it was Halberg first, Thomas second, and Scott third. The other New Zealanders, Baillie and Magee dropped well back. The first six finished inside the old Games record of 13min 35.25ec Cardiff’s evening paper, the “South Wales Echo,” makes much of Halberg’s win. “New Zealand grabs the three miles medals,” its headings say. “Murray Halberg smashes record in epic race.” World Record Set South Africa’s Gerhardus Potgieter, beat his own world record time by a second in winning the 440 yards hurdles in 49.75ec. David Lean (Australia) was second, also inside Potgieter’s old world record time of 50.7 sec. Kenya’s Rotich was third in 51.7 sec. Potgieter’s previous world record was set in Queenstown in South Africa, on April 20, 1957, and is still subject to ratification. His tremendous victory today in blustery conditions was the climax to a come-back he has made after breaking his neck last year. Marlene Mathews won the women’s 100 yards final, beating the England pair, Heather Young and Madeleine Weston. Miss Mathews’s 10.6 sec was a new Games record and a new British all-comers’ and British national record. She broke down and cried on the shoulder of the fourth place-getter, Betty Cuthbert, when the judges announced the placings. Short-Lived Record When the discus final got under way, there were two new Games records in two throws. New Zealand’s Les Mills broke the record set by the South African, Stephanus du Plessis, of 169 ft 7£in in the Vancouver Games four years ago, by an inch. But du Plessis, a 28-year-old schoolteacher, sent the discus 176 ft 9|in with his next throw to better his Games record by an even wider margin. Don Smith (New Zealahd) went straight into fourth place lat the start of the half-mile with Herb Elliott (Australia) •just behind him. As Elliott and Britain’s Brian Hewson went ahead into the first two places, Smith still remained fourth or fifth. In the back straight on the second lap he went into third place behind Elliott and Hewson, but allowed England’s Mike Rawson and the Rhodesian, Tom Sullivan, to pass him in the home turn. As Hewson challenged Elliott unsuccessfully approaching the tape, Smith was unable to regain the lost places, finishing fifth in Imin 51.5 sec. Elliott’s winning time was a new Games record of Imin 49sec. Hewson and Rawson were second and third.

Mary Donaghy seemed set for- a gold medal in the women’s high jump, but Michele Mason (Australia) made a remarkable recovery to join her at sft 7in. Miss Donaghy was placed second because she had more failures than Miss Mason at that height. N.Z. Sprinters Beaten The New Zealand sprinter, Maurice Rae, must have been disappointed at his form. He ran well in the heats of the 220 yards, but failed in the semi-final. Roy Williams and Dave Norris. New Zealand’s representatives in the long jump, started off well with jumps of over 23ft in the preliminaries, but they, too, faded later. Two Jamaicans with equal jumps took the top two places and were separated on second j best performances. They are P. Foreman and D. Taylor, both with 24ft 6Jin. Barry Robinson pulled out of his second round heat in the 440 yards with a pulled muscle in the right thigh. He was fast out of the blocks, running very strongly round the first bend. As he entered the back straight Robinson suddenly checked, skipped a couple of times saving his right leg, struggled a few more yards, then as the others passed him, pulled out limping off the track. Although his limp was less marked, and the injury apparently not very painful, after he put his tracksuit on he was

whisked away for immediate medical attention. The South African, Mel Spence, won Robinson’s heat in a Games record time of 46.75ec. Marise Chamberlain was second in her first round heat in the 220 yards in 25.8 sec. The heat was won by Heather Young (England) in 24.75ec. In the semi-final, she was unplaced behind Betty Cuthbert (Australia). Heather 1 Young (England) and Magdel Myburgh (South Africa). MEN’S EVENTS 440 Yards (World record: 45.8 sec, by J. Lea, United States, 1956. Empire Games record: 47.lsec, by R- K. Gosper, Australia, 1954.) Heat I.—E. J. Sampson (England). 46.8 sec (equals British Empire, British all-comers, and national and new Games records), 1; K. R. Gosper (Australia), 47.45ec, 2; G. Evans (South Africa), 47.95ec, 3. Heat 2.—M. C. Spence (South Africa), 46.75ec (British Empire. British all-comers, British national, and Games records). 1; J. E. Salisbury (England), 47.35ec. 2; K. Boit (Kenya), 48sec. 3; C. Robinson, of New Zealand, did not finish. Heat 3.—T. C. Tobacco (Canada), 46.8 sec, 1; J. D. Wrighton (England). 47.25ec, 2; G. Kerr (Jamaica), 47.2 Heat 4.—Milkha Singh (India), 47 sec, 1; J. Maclsaac (Scotland), 47.3 sec, 2; B. Rotich (Kenya), 47.55ec, 3. 880 Yards (World record: Imin 46.8 sec, by T. W. Courtney, United States, 1957. Empire Games record: Imin 50.7 sec, by D. J. N. Johnson, England, 1954.) Final.—H. J. Elliott (Australia), 1 min 49.35ec (Games record), 1; B. S. Hewson (England), Imin 49.55ec, 2; M. A. Rawson (England), Imin 51.lsec, 3; T. Sullivan (Rhodesia), Imin 51.3 sec, 4; D. I. B. Smith (New Zealand), Imin 51.5 sec, 5. Three Miles (World record: 13min 14.2 sec, by S. Iharos, Hungary, 1955. Empire Games record: 13min 35.25ec, by G. J. Chataway, England, 1954. Awaiting ratification as world record: 13 min 10.8 sec, by Albert Thomas, Australia, at Dublin, 1958.) Final.—M. G. Halberg (New Zealand). 13min 15sec (British Empire, British all comers, and Games records), 1; A. G. Thomas (Australia), 13min 24.45ec. 2; N. I. Scott (New Zealand, 13min 26.25ec, 3; D. A. G. Pirie (England), 13min 29.65ec, 4. W. D. Baillie (N.Z.) was ninth, in 13min 44.45ec. Men’s 220 Yards (World record: 20.0 sec, by D. W. Sime, United States, 1956. Empire Games record: 21.2 sec, by C. B. Holmes, England. 1938.) , First Semi-final.—(First three in each qualify for final): G. Day (South Africa), 21.2 sec (equals Empire Games record), 1; S. Levenson (Canada), 21.2 sec, 2; L. Gardner (Jamaica), 21.3 sec, 3. Second Semi-final.—T. Robinson (Bahamas), 20.9 sec (Games record and equals British all-comers and British national records), 1; E. Jeffreys (South Africa), 20.9 sec, 2; J. Scott-Oldfield (England), 21.5 sec, 3. M. Rae (New Zealand), 21.9 sec, was sixth. Long Jump (Qualifying distance 23ft, world record, 26ft 81in, J. C. Owens, United States. 1935. Empire Games record, 24ft 85in, K. S. D. Wilmshurst, England, 1954.) Qualifying Round.—K. A. B. Olwu (Nigeria), A R. Cruttenden (England), D. Taylor (Jamaica), Ram Mehar (India), P. Foreman (Jamaica), K. S. D. Wilmshurst (England). Ramazan Ali (Pakistan), J. C. Smyth (Canada), I. R. Tomlinson (Australia), D. Luke (Sierra Leone), K. H. Parker (England), V. O. Odofin (Nigeria), R. A. Williams (New Zealand), J. B. Wooley (Wales), D. S. Norris (New Zealand), L. Ogwang (Uganda). Final.—P. Foreman (Jamaica), 24ft 6Jin, 1; D. Taylor (Jamaica), 24ft 64in, 2; A. Ramyan (Pakistan), 24ft OJin. 3. R. A. Williams (New Zealand), with 23ft lOin, was sixth, and N. S. Norris (New Zealand), with 23ft 51in, was eighth. Discus (World record: 194 ft 6in. F. E. Gordien. United States, 1953. Empire Games record: 169 ft 71in, S. J. du Plessis, South Africa. 1954.) Final.—S. J. du Plessis (South Africa), 183 ft 6Jin (British Empire, British national and Games records), i; L. R. Mills (New Zealand), 169 ft BJin, 2; G. A. Garr (England). 169 ft 4Jin, 3; M. R. Lindsay (Scotland). 161 ft, 4. 440 Yards Hurdles (World record: 50.7 sec, G. Potgieter. South Africa. Empire Games record: 52.35ec, D. F. Lean, Australia, 1954. Awaiting ratification: 51.9 sec, G. Potgieter, South Africa. 1958.) Final.—G. Potgieter (South Africa), 49.75ec (world record), 1; D. F. Lean (Australia), 50.6 sec, 2; B. Rotich (Kenya), 51.7 sec, 3; J. Metcalfe (England), 52.45ec, 4. WOMEN’S EVENTS 100 Yards (World record: 10.4 sec, M. Jackson, Australia, 1952. Empire Games record: 10.7 sec, M. Jackson, 1954.) Final.—M. J. Mathews-Willard (Australia), 10.6 sec (British all-com-ers, British national and Games records), 1; H. Young (England), 10.6 sec, 2; V. M. Weston (England), 10.7 sec, 3; B. Cuthbert (Australia), 10.7 sec. 4. 220 Yards (World record: 23.65ec, by M. L. Itkina, Russia, 1956. Empire Games record: 24sec by M. Jackson, Australia, 1954. Awaiting ratification: 23.45ec, by M. J. Mathews-Willard, Australia, 1958.) First Semi-Fnal.—(First three qualify fer final): B. Cuthbert (Australia), 24sec, 1; H. Young (England), 24.lsec, 2; M. Myburgh (South Africa), 24.55ec, 3. Eliminated: M. Chamberlain (New Zealand) withdrew. Second Semi-Final.—M. MathewsWillard (Australia), 24sec, 1; J. Paul (England), 24.lsec, 2; E. Haslam (Canada), 24flsec, 3. High Jump (World record: sft 92in, by M. L. McDaniel, United States. 1956. Empire Games record: sft 6in, by T. E. Hopkins, Northern Ireland), 1954.) Final.—M. M. Mason (Australia), sft 7in (Games record), 1; J. M. Donaghy (New Zealand), sft 7in, 2; H. Firth (Australia), sft sin, 3; D. A. Shirley (England), sft sin, 4.