Tokyo Games Sidelights

Press, Volume CIII, Issue 30560, 1 October 1964, Page 19

Tokyo Games Sidelights

Disappointed although M. P. Watkinson may be with his shattered boat, at least the New Zealand four-oar crew has reason to be delighted with their equipment.

Their new boat is the lightest and fastest that they or their coach, Mr J. K. Stevenson, have ever seen. “It will take up a week to get used to its speed,” says Mr Stevenson.

The shell was especially prepared by George Sims, Ltd., the renowned British builders, after the crew had successfully competed at Henley. So effectively did the New Zealanders’ cultivate enthusiasm in Mr Sims, and so effective was his subsequent work, that English oarsmen now in Tokyo declare: “That is not a Sims boat.” (From Norman Harris, New Zealand “Herald” reporter.) In Training One of the most intriguing athletes running on the train-

ing track at the Olympic village yesterday was the barefooted Ethiopian, Abebe Bikila, who won the marathon gold medal at Rome. Although still recovering from the effects of a recent appendicitis operation, Bikila is confident he will be fit for the Tokyo race.—(N.Z.P.A., Special Correspondent.) Poles, Too More Olympic flags were taken during the night—and this time the flag poles went too. Police reported today that 20 of the hundreds of flags which had been placed on roads in the area around the Yoyogi Olympic village and the main stadium, were missing. At the week-end two Australian athletes were seen taking flags from in front of the Olympic village. They were made to return them.— (A.A.P., Special Correspondent.)