GREAT LEAPS

Evening Post, Volume CVIII, Issue 77, 27 September 1924, Page 19

GREAT LEAPS

OLYMPIC JUMPING CHAMPION

DISSATISFIED WITH: HIS TREAT- . .. '• ' MENT. . - ■ , ;

-Australia's world's , .hop-step-and-> Jump, champion has forwarded a candid message of protest from - London';- says the Sydney "San." Nick "Winter declares that the fact that he was nqt allowed to r,emain in Paris for the presentation of prizes at ■ the ' Coldmb'es Stadium on 26th July, j, his main complaint. The majority of tie-team/left for London on 22nd July; ■ 7and • ■ the wnter i thought it an injustice, as he considered, as a winner, .that"he..was entitled to be at the presentation. "The cyclists are still in Paris, -'by the way," says Winter, in his. letter to bydney Winter had to go .to London with others Ut room. They stayed at an hotel, their meals'costing them 3s 6dy and obtaining only 2s 6d to pay for them Winter made such a name for iwnself that he was invited to.Germany with the assurance that all his expenses would be paid, but he was not perfii •*" £°> alld *he arrangements fell through. • .-, -: .■ . ■ The- champion emphasises that the Oamea were glorious for him, - and he realised his ambition, but was unfortunate m several of Ms attempts. The spites on his shoes were too blunt, and he used, to foul by about half-an inch by a slight slip on the board. The, figures fora few of his remarkable jumps, including fouls, .were: 50ft 4in: (foul) 49ft 9£m and 51ft 4in (foul). The second qualified him for the final. In the first series Bruneto. (Argentine) put up 50ft, 7£in, but it was announced as^ 16 metres, approximately 52ft 6111, ihe spectators thought those' figures could not be beaten,- Higginson (England) jumped about 44ft. To everyone's surprise, it was exhibited on the board wiat Higginson's |cap was also 16 metres Eventually the 'mistake•• was rectified; and- it was discovered that Bruneto's jump was 50ft 7|in. -■ '.Winter was always confident. The cinder track was fast, aad his three final sensational figures were:,49ft lOAm, 52ft 6in (foul), and 50ft 11 3-16 in Winter points out that those figures could Hardly be believed in Australia because critics considered once that he was not capable of jumping 48ft ■.: ■ *

The second leap jawed - ."Winter •• so severely that he thought his heels were broken, and Dnigan massaged them for the last effort. When he completed this Winter nearly cried with the pain. A lortmjrht afterwards he,was unable to put all his weight on his heels... ■■ . .. Winter solaces himself by savine "It was worth; it." ■ ........ .r ?'■ .~

t The champion indicates his versatility in the following paragraph': "We leave for Ireland (my grandfather was'lrishY." where I will itake part in the running and standing hop-step-and-jump, -long: and standing high jumps, and billiards" and tennis. We had a great -time in" Paris with the Irish team, and I could', write for hours on the Games." '