WOODERSON MISSES

Evening Star, Issue 23092, 19 October 1938, Page 5

WOODERSON MISSES

LOVELOCK'S 1.500 METRES RECORD RACE IN NORWAY Sydney Wooderson, Britain’s wonder miler, failed by 9-10 sec to lower Jack Lovelock's world record of 3.47 4-5 for 1,500 metres when he won the race over that distance at the international athletic meeting at Oslo on the night of September 15, in the time of 3.48 7-10. This is the nearest the English champion has been to this record. Wooderson was encouraged by a tremendous ovation which lasted throughout the-race, but he was not greatly extended and won comfortably by about 15yds. Mostert, the Belgian ace, followed him closely until the bell, but once the Blackheath wizard had set a killing pace over the last lap there was “ only one man in it.” Mostert finished second in 3.60, and he was followed by Jack Emery, the old Cantab, who in returning 3.53 3-10, ran his fastest race over the distance. EARLIER RACE AT MILAN. Commenting on the two British victories at the international athletic meeting at Milan on September 11 (A. G. K. Brown, 400 metres, and S. C. Wooderson, 1,500 metres), a special correspondent says:— Of the two performances that of Brown was the more masterful,, for, despite drawing the. outside lane, with the American champion Mallott, in lane No. 1, Brown was never in danger of defeat. He was away like a flash and never gave a suggestion of easing until he had broken the tape in the amazing time of 47-lsec, Two days’ torrential rain had left the track in a, poor condition, and Italian experts expressed to me the. view that on the normal surface the same run would have produced 46.45ec. . Mallott finished second 4yds behind Brown, and was very distressed at tin* finish, while Brown looked little the worse for his great run. Indeed, a wonder runner is Brown! . AMERICAN CRACK THIRD. And so is Wooderson. At last-we saw the American crack, . Fenske. among the little English wizard’s opponents. Showing plenty of confidence, Fenske cut out a fast pace at the start, with Beccali, the Italian ace, hot on his heels. But Wooderson never showed the slightest worry. At the bell the Englishman shot into the lead, and then began a great Anglo-U.S.A. which was settled by Wooderson pulling out his customary electrifying burst down the finishing straight. His time—3min 48.4 sec—would have been nearer Lovelock’s world record of 3min 47.85e0 had the track been in better condition. Much to the pleasure of the_ onlookers. the local idol, Beccali, in a despairing final effort, pipped Fenske on the tape for second place. This verdict, however, did not meet with universal agreement.