PART NOBLY PLAYED

Evening Post, Volume CXXV, Issue 38, 15 February 1938, Page 10

PART NOBLY PLAYED

N.Z. SUCCESSES

MATTHEWS AND BOOT

(From "The Post's" Representative.)

SYDNEY, February1 11. * Before the magnificent Empire Games drama of seven days of sports had drawn to a close, New Zealand could look back on a part nobly played, with a number of notable performances. C. H. Matthews and V. P. Boot are her athletic heroes. Matthews's win in the three miles, and Boot's in his heat of the 880 yds have already been told. Boot's win in the 880 yds final and Matthews's second success, in the six miles, were both achieved in sensational races. Boot brought the crowd to its feet when he cleared out from his field before the finishing straight was reached and won by 20 yards in Imin 51.2 sec, thus beating the Empire Games and Australian record of Imin 52.35 ec that he made in his heat. W. Dale ((Canada), who was beaten by inches for second place, collapsed on the tape. JOSTLING ALLEGED. The greatest sensation came after the race was over. The first three places were officially announced, and then it was stated that an announcement as to the other positions would be withheld pending an investigation by the referee (Mr. G..E. Langford). This was the result of an incident about a quarter-way through the race when jostling took place, principally affecting. the Australian champion, G. I. Backhouse. Mr. Langford called J. W. Alford (Wales) and Backhouse before him, but as Backhouse made no complaint, the referee took no action, and Alford was placed fourth. RUNNER DISQUALIFIED. Jostling and hard tactics in the first half spoilt the six miles as a sporting spectacle, but Matthews's lovely, even action and grand performance made spectators forget the unpleasant incidents. It seemed that J. A. Coleman, winner of the marathon, had been deputed to break up the field on behalf of another South African competitor. He was roundly hooted several times for jostling tactics when several runners at different times tried to pass him. He naturally runs with his elbows out-thrust, but several times appeared to use them for other purposes than his own propulsion. His pace-making task done, Coleman dropped out at the 2J miles, but shortly afterwards the referee announced that he had disqualified Coleman for crossing one runner and attempting to prevent another opponent from passing him. MATTHEWS'S SUCCESS. Matthews, near the rear of the field, escaped all this trouble, but with half the journey completed, he went to the front and was not afterwards headed, being lustily cheered by the crowd for the last half-mile. His time—3omin 14.55ec —broke J. W. Savidan's Games record by 35.1 sec, and the Australian record by Imin 34.55 ec, and was only 38.1 sec outside the. seven-year-old record of Paavo Nurmi. A "Sydney Morning Herald" writer, in stating that Matthews seemed of the Nurmi school, said that he was one of those men "who think only, of a running track as something to be covered as many times. as possible in as little a time as the human frame can stand." BOWLERS DO WELL. New Zealand had other triumphs in the bowls. F. Livingstone, her singles champion, and now Australian champion too, had to be content, with second place in the Empire championship to the undefeated H. Harvey, of South Africa, but her pairs and fours won their sections. The pair, L. L. Macey and W. Denison, had a clearcut success with four wins out of five matches to their nearest rival South Africa's three. A surprising defeat of South Africa by England helped New Zealand to victory. The New Zealand four—W. Whittaker, H. A. Robertson, E. Jury, and W. Bremner—finished five rounds of matches level with South Africa, four wins each. They won a closelycontested play-off by 19 to 16. OARSMEN NOT GOOD ENOUGH. In rowing, New Zealand proved to be of a class below that of England and Australia, who staged a magnificent struggle, in the eights, England winning by three-quarters of a length, with New Zealand two lengths further back. The New Zealanders rowed a vigorous and stylish race, but were not good enough on the day, especially in their old-fashioned boat. The New Zealand four put up a magnificent race against a powerful Australian crew, but were beaten by a length and a quarter, with Canada three-quarters of a length away in third place. The sculler R. B. Smith was completely outclassed by the Australian winner, H. J. Turner, and P. H. Jackson, who had rowed in the English eight half an hour earlier. Smith and A. K. G. Jackson, who had rowed in the New Zealand eight, were a tired pair in the double sculls invitation event, and were a long way downstream when C. Pearce and W. J. Bradley, of Australia, flashed across the finishing line nine lengths ahead of R. and J. S. Offer, of England. IN OTHER SECTIONS. In swimming, New Zealand has been overshadowed except for Mona Leydon's brave and creditable showings. So far as men swimmers are concerned, New Zealand has a fellow-

sufferer in Austnilio, whoso rppuliition in those eveiils lias been uphold only by the women, In boxing and wrestling, N<;w '/.'•;>■ landers have fared moderately. They failed to win nny of Uiu 10 titles, Two seconds and two thirds In wrestling and one second and one third in boxing comprised their record.