AUSTRALIANS SWEEP TO VICTORY IN MILE

Press, Volume XCVII, Issue 28649, 28 July 1958, Page 13

AUSTRALIANS SWEEP TO VICTORY IN MILE

(N.Z Press Association —Copyright) CARDIFF, July 26. The 20-year-okl Australian, Herb Elliott, completed a double never before achieved at the Empire Games when he won an effortless victory in the mile in 3min 59sec. He won the half-mile earlier this week. Australians Mervyn Lincoln and Albert Thomas were second and third, with Gordon Pirie (England) fourth and Murray Halberg (New Zealand) til'll) in 4min G.Gscc.

The finalists in the mile were Elliott, the favourite, Lincoln and Thomas (Australia), Brian Hewson, Gordon Pirie and Mike Blagrove (England), Mike Beresford (Scotland), and the two New Zealanders, Neville Scott and Murray Halberg. The crowd expected another mile in under four minutes and it was not disappointed. Lincoln drew the outside lane and Scott took the early lead followed by Hewson with Pirie third. Halberg lay last in the first lap. Scott opened out a three-yards lead from Beresford at the end of the first lap. which was covered in 61.3 sec. He was looking over his shoulder at the bunched field, which was closing the gap.

Halberg was still second to last and Elliott and Lincoln took the first two places as they passed the half-mile in 2min 3.4 sec. Scott dropped back to sixth in the third lap with Halberg still trailing.

Scott fell away to last at the three-quarters and Elliott opened out a big lead from Lincoln, Pirie and Thomas with the others in a bunch well back. Elliott Won by 20 yards.

Halberg came out of the bunch on the last bend, but could not make up the large gap. Thomas overtook Pirie in the last straight to give Australia a triple win. Pirie was fourth, Halberg fifth and Scott last.

Elliott had the last lap all to himself in 56.75ec for a time of 3min 59sec. Lincoln took 4min I.9sec. Scott, who finished last, was more distressed than any other runner. His time was 4m in 11.9 sec.

Though the Australians outclassed England’s milers, England captured seven championships to Australia’s two to top the gold medals list. The highlight was a world record by England's team in the women’s 440 yard relay—the tenth world mark set up during the Games. England’s relay girls. Maeleirie Weston. Dorothy Hyman. Mrs June Paul, and Mrs Heather Armitage-Young streaked to a time of 45.35ec. knocking threetenths of a second off the previous record, set up by an Australian team. Husband and Wife Team

An English husband and his wife went home from today’s contests with a gold medal and

a bronze medal. The wife, Mrs Suzanne Allday, won the vflbmen’s discus, while her husband, Peter, gained the bronze medal for third place in the hammer throw, won by another Englishman, Mike Ellis. To South Africa went the honoui of taking the last championship of the Games. Their mile relay team of Gordon Day, Gerald Evans. Gert Potgieter, and Malcolm Spence won in 3m in S.lsec —a fitting final performance, since it sets British Empire. British national, British allcomers and Games records. Of the other events today. Sheila Hoskin (England) won the women’s long jump, and Geoff Elliott (England) the pole vault. England lyon the men’s 440 yards relay and the cycling road race, was won by Ray Booty. Australia took the women’s 80 metres hurdles, won by Mrs Norma Thrower.

With ceremony and moving singing by competitors, officials and spectators, the great sporting festival came to an end at Cardiff Arms Park. Each of the eight days had produced at least one world record. The medals were spread among competitors from 23 of the 35 countries represented. The athletes from 12 countries who went away empty-handed, as far as medals were concerned, took with them, like the others, memories of sporting rivalry which they will never forget.