THE TEAM ABROAD

Evening Post, Volume C, Issue 51, 28 August 1920, Page 6

THE TEAM ABROAD

GREAT PERFORMANCES AT

DURBAN.

The latest mail from South Africa brings glowing accounts of the New Zealand Olympic representatives'. doings at Durban. Miss V. Walrond (whose performance at the Olympic Games this week is now being awaited) won the two swimming events in which she competed, "and fully justified the good opinions formed cf her abilities in the water," states the Jfatal Mercury.. The New Zealand young lady won-.the 100 yards ladies' handicap in convincing style, overtaking five opponents, having starts varying from llsec to 26sec, with comparative ease. Her actual . swimming time was 73sec. In the fifty yards handicap there were seven competitors, Miss. Walrond winning from scratch in. 32 2-ssec, which" equals the South African record. Concerning the two athletes, the Natal Advertiser states: —"Visitors to Lords Ground were privileged to witness some sterling performances .by H. E. Wilson and G. Davidson, the two athletes selected to represent New Zealand at the Olympic Games at Antwerp. Seeing that the two men had been a month on the water the form they displayed was little ehort of marvellous, and if they have the good fortune to arrive in England a. week or ten days' before the Olympic Games commence these can b© little doubt that New Zealand ■willbe very much in the picture. Davidson is nothing to look at physically, but he can sprint. He has a most taking style; and over his last thirty yards he moves like a champion. . His appearance was in the 'hundred.' Davidson picked up • his men forty yards from the worsted,. and making hw effort alone, flew home a winner by at least seven yards, the time officially returned being, lOsec, although a couple of watches made it just a tick under even time. Davidson with anykind of luck must have a, great deal 1 to say in the 100 metres at Antwerp, but a lot depends upon the time of the arrival of the Euripides in England. The New Zealand Olympic Council has certainly cut things a bit fine, seeing that the South Africans have already been in the Old Country some weeks, and the Australians must be there by this time. After the 'hundred' the onlookers .saw Wilson, the' New Zealand sprinter, hurdler and I jumper, do the 120 yards hurdles solo, and, a very fine exhibition it proved to be. The time officially returned was IS 2-ssec, which for a man just off "the" ship and running without pacemakers, meat be regarded as an achievement of great merit. His chance of annexing the Olympic laurels is particularly rosy." In a 150 yard* burst Davidson (scratch) won from Wilson. (3 yards) in 14 2-ssec, which is equal" to the -world's record. This,led to the track being measured, the result being that, the distance was found'to be 118^ yards. Wilson won a. 50 yards men's swimming event. "In D'Arcy Hadfield, H. E. Wilson, G. Davidson, and Miss Walrond," the Advertiser states: "New Zealand has a quartette who may confidently be expected to do great things in Europe—if the fates are kind and the second and final portion of the voyage of the Euripides is accomplished a little more expeditiously than the first." Unfortunately Wilson and Davidson had a very short period for training after arrival, and under the. circumstances did remarkably; well to perform so prominently.