JAPANESE ATHLETES

Evening Star, Issue 22579, 22 February 1937, Page 2

JAPANESE ATHLETES

OUTSTANDING DISPLAYS FIRST APPEARANCE IN DOMINION [Per United Press Association.] AUCKLAND, February 21. Japanese athletes were seen in action in Now Zealand for the first time yesterday, when Kohei Murakoso, tho long-distance runner, and Kenshi Togami, the jumper, made their first competitive appearance of the Dominion tour at a special carnival held by the Auckland Amateur Athletic Centre at Carlaw Park. Both visitors, who were among the best Japanese performers at the Berlin Olympic Games, gave outstanding displays. Outpacing his opponents with ease Murakoso scored a deciive win in the special two miles handicap* while his countryman won the broid jump and gained second place in both the hop*, step, and jump and the high jump. Covering the first lap in 6-1 see, the second in 66sec, the third in 69sec. and tla fourth in 71soc, making 4min JOsec fa' the first mile, Murakoso was at this stige well ahead of his co-marker, Sividau. When the winner’s time was ajnounced as 9min 20 3-osec, only tvo-fifths of a second outside the New Zealand record establish' - '1 by R. Rose il 1927, it was evident that had Muratoso betm at all pressed in the final stages he would have set new figures <omfortably. Togami, ranked high among the finest umpers in the world, gave a high;lass display of broad jumping to at-

tain a distance of 23ft B}in, only 2Jm short of the national record. He is evidently not yet properly settled after his rough trip from Sydney during the week. Togami experienced difficulty in striking the take-off board accurately. One of his leaps carried him the remarkable distance of 26ft, but the jump was disallowed as his foot was a fraction over the mark when he took off. Rhythm and co-ordination of three movements were the most noticeable features of Togami’s hop, step, and jump performances, the powerfullybuilt Japanese giving glimpse of his calibre in this event by clearing 46ft lOJin with his first effort. His second jump was even better, the distance being 48ft 10in, but was disallowed on another technicality. Togami displayed versatility by clearing the bar at sft 9Jin in the high jump.