AUSTRALIANS ALL

Evening Star, Issue 22890, 23 February 1938, Page 6

AUSTRALIANS ALL

HOP, STEP, AND JUMP SUCCESS METCALFE RETAINS EMPIRE TITLE [Written for the 'Evening Star’- by E.C.L] SYDNEY, February 15. , If there was one event more than any other in which Australia’s stock ran high, it was the hop, step, and jump, and the Cornstalks did l not let their supporters down. J. P. Metcalfe is not a far remove from the greatest triple leaiper in the world, and if ho _ elected to confine himself more to jumping events instead of taking part in nearly every section of the field programme, the New South Welshman might well go near to World figures. _ .. Metcalfe won tho Empire title at London in 1934 with, a triple leap of 51ft 3iin, which was not far outside a world record at the time, and on this occasion he retained the title with a best performance of. 50ft 10in. He was jumping consistently over 50ft, and D. L. Miller, another Australian, was second with 50ft 6|in, Basil Dickenson (Australia) being third with 50ft IJin. Miller is a comparative newcomer to competition, and it is worthy of note that none of the Australian trio is a particularly tall fellow, but all have the technique of this event down, to a fine art, f and a student of field athletics,, such as B. 0. Johnson would delight to see them in action. Metcalfe, by the way, performed more than up to expectations, despite the fact that he has been studying hard for his law examinations and actually was sitting some of them a day or two after the competition. He is still the same pleasing personality, and he inquired after the many friends he made during his visit to Dunedin a few years ago, specially mentioning Messrs Charlie Heaton and Bill Holley, members of the Otago, Centre. WONDER WOMAN SPRINTER,

If Australia showed) superiority in the hop, step, and jump, then it was even more marked in the women’s track events, and - Decima Norman, brilliant Western Australian sprinter, stood out in a class of her own, showing form that rated her in world’s class. To her belonged the unique distinction of collecting five victory medals as the winner of the 100yds women’s event, 220yds women’s, women’s long jump, and as a member of the two winning women’s relay teams. Her winning effort in the 220yds on the final afternoim was 24 7-10 sec, and in a heat she did 24 5-10sec,' only 1-lOsec outside the world record, held by Stella Walsh (Stella Walasiewicz), since 1935.

Miss Norman is a runner with distinct personality, and did the crowd respond) on the occasions when, after passing the halfway mark, down would go her head, as, with shoulders bunched, she made her determined bids for victory? Her form might bo against some accepted styles, bat w.hat a little wonder she is, and Australia is deservedly proud of. the greatest sprinter she has produced. The furlong women’s event was another triumph for Australia. Misses J. Coleman and A. E. Wearne, both of Australia, filled second and third places respectively, and Barbara Burke, 100yds world record holder, who did not reproduce her best form, in the sprints during the Games, finished in fifth place. The South African girl is a fine runner, but on her showing in Sydney did not appear a match for Decima Norman. NEW ZEALANDERS WELL PLACED.

Miss Betty Forbes, New Zealand’s representative in the high jump for women, lived up to the reputation she has gained for herself in Otago of improving her mark every time she appears in competition. She was competing against some of the best women jumpers in the world, and showing clean and decisive style, cleared sft 2in, ’ 13-in better than her Now Zealand record, a performance which gained her third place in a field of 10. Actually, Miss D. K. Gardner, of England, who gained second place, cleared the bar at the same height as Miss Forbes, but having a fewer number of failures than Miss Forbes, she was placed second. The winner was Miss D. B. Odam, who did sft Sin.

Miss Odam later failed in a world’s record attempt, but tho spectators thought .she had successfully cleared sft siin (iin better than the record) when she successfully negotiated tho bar eventually. However, there was general regret when it was announced that hers nad not been a-irecord attempt, but that the jump had been made for the benefit of the photographers ! Miss Forbes jumped extremely well and thoroughly justified her place in the New Zealand team. An unassuming girl, she has been one of the most popular members of the New Zealand team.

Miss Rona Tong (New Zealand) was another ivhose selection was well deserved. Her third place in the 80 metres hurdles for women was a firstrate performance. _ Miss Barbara Burke, of South Africa, won this event in the British Empire Games record time of 11 7-lOsoc, with inches io .spare

from Miss I. Grant (Australia), and Miss Tong was only a yard back, third. Tho South African girl, made up for her comparative failure in the sprints, and her time was only one-tenth outside the world record. . The winner is a fine hurdler, with pace between the sticks, and a great finishing burst. Miss Tong hurdled cleanly, and finished on well, but could not quite muster up that little bit of extra dash over the last bit that would, have enabled her to head the other two. ■ No event at the Games, probably, created more discussion . than the 120yds hurdles, in which the South African, T. P. Lavery, beat L. O’Connor (Canada) by a yard in 14sec, onetenth of a second faster than the existing world’s record. There was wild jubilation when the announcement came that a world record had been established, and .from the. stand conditions appeared almost perfect. La-, very was carried shoulder-high around the ground, and it was not until later that Mr I. G. Emery, the South African manager, learnt that the performance would not be recognised as a world record, the referee. (Mr G. E. Langford) refusing to sign tho declaration that the winner had not been favoured by the breeze. Whether or not the breeze assisted Lavery may be open to question, but the referee ruled that In his opinion It did, and it does seem to be against track ethics that all sorts of demands should since have been made to the referee to alter his decision. Quite rightly he has refused to do so,, and even if he did so it is doubtful if the International body would now recognise the performance. Mr Emery is reported to have said that if there were any doubt Lavery should have been given the benefit of the doubt, but what of the man who holds the record? Lavery is a magnificent performer, full of energy and dash, a brilliant jumper, and a remarkable finisher, but the referee has ruled that he tvas assisted by the breeze. The referee must be a competent .man or he would not have been appointed to the position.' He has given his ruling, and sportsmen should accept it without trying to have him alter his decision merely for the sake of a record. There has been too. much of this sort of thing among visiting officials at the Empire Games. A blanket finish was seen in the 440yds men’s final, and there was nothing to choose between W. Roberts, of England, and W. Fritz, of Canada, the award going to Roberts by inches, with D. V. Shore, of South Africa, in third place IJyds away. Roberts came with a great hurst of speed from the 150yds mark, but it .was almost impossible to separate him and Fritz, while Shore was shortening his stride at the finish. Roberts was clocked at 47 9-lOsec, which was onetenth of a second better than the British Empire record of Geoffrey Rampling. Here again, there was some comment when the picture of the finish showed Fritz the winner by inches, but the judge’s ruling stands, much as it was deplored by Mr J. Leslie (Canada), who awarded first place. H. J. Tyrie, New Zealand’s first string, finished sixth, but was outclassed, and lost ground from the furlong mark. He was up against the hottest opposition of his life and did not disgrace himself. Tyrie is a good quarter-miler, but in this event, more than in any other on the track, New Zealanders feel the lack of high-class competition. The shot-putting was of a fair standard, but scarcely, reached expectations, and, as anticipated, the winner was L. A. Fouche, of South Africa, of whose ability to take part there was a good deal of comment in the Press. 1 He met with mishap during training, but it did ■ not prevent him from registering a putt of 47ft 6in, B. Coy, of Canada, doing 45ft 9 5-Bin for second place. With a semi-scratch team comprising A. T. Anderson, G. H. Quinn, A. J. Sayers, and H. J. Tyrie, New Zealand was able to gain third place in the mile, relay, but what a team the Do r minion could have fielded had there been a four-mile relay—Boot, Pullar, Allen, and Matthews!