OLYMPIC GAMES

Greymouth Evening Star, 13 August 1928, Page 5

OLYMPIC GAMES

N.Z. BOXER’S VICTORY

“UNUSUAL COURAGE”

(Australian Press Association.) (By Cable—Press Assn.—Copyright.)

AMSTERDAM, August 11.

In the Olympic welterweights contest, Morgan (New Zealand), the Empire’s sole remaining boxing representative, beat Landini, of Argentina, on points, in the final. Hermanek, a Czecho-Slovakian mid-dle-weight, eliminated Fred Mallin, Britain’s last boxing representative.

Although unable to punch his hardest, owing to fear of breaking an already badly damaged left hand, Morgan triumphantly won the championship. The result was never in doubt, after an even first round. Even the Argentinians whole-heartedly applauded the referee’s decision. Morgan deserves the fullest credit, not only for better boxing generalship, but for unusual courage in coming through four hard fights with a dislocated knuckle in his punching hand, which became so bad in the last two days that the whole arm is affected. He actually fought the winning fight, despite inability to straighten out the arm. Morgan is going to the hospital on arrival in London to-morrow, but there has never been a more cheerful patient. The New' Zealander has done even better than he himself expected. Morgan gradually wore out his opponent, and increased the advantage in the last round, in which Landini vainly endeavoured to counter long range hitting by covering up his face. Landini showed himself a hard hitter, gruelling Morgan with lefts to the body, but the latter’s extended right foiled many punches. ' An excellent fast fight ended in Morgan still piling up points. The verdict was the only one possible, Landini throwing his arms round the New Zealander s neck evei) before the official decision. Morgan, in the dressing room, said: “I feared all the time my hand was going to let me down. I felt it give at the first blow, thereafter I was careful I'did not hit too hard, in case I hurt myself more than Landini.”

SWIMMING

AMSTERDAM, August 11

At the Games, the women’s 100 metres free style swim was decided. Results: — . , First semi-final: Miss Osepowich (U S.A.) 1, Miss Laird (U.S.A.) 2, Miss Cooper (U.S.A.) 3. Time 72 1-5 sec. —equals Olympic record. Miss Ena Stockley (New Zealand) was fifth. Second semi-final: Miss Garathy (USA.) won in 71 2-5 sec., an Olympic record. Miss Miller (New Zealand) was fifth. Final: Miss Osepowich won in 71 seconds, a second Olympic record. The next in order were: Miss Cooper (73 3-5 sec.), Miss McDonald (73 4-5), Miss Laird (74 3-5), Miss Lehmen (75 seconds). , ' Women’s 100 metres backstroke swim final: Miss Braun (82secs.) 1, Miss King (82 l-ssecs), 2, Miss Cooper (Britain, 82 4-5), 3. Miss Stockley (New Zealand) was fifth, in 85 4-5 sec. Men’s 100 metres freestroke swim final: Johnny Weissmuller, U.S.A. (58 3-5 sec.) 1; Barany, Hungary, (59 3-5) 2- Takaishe, Japan (60sec.) 3; Kojac, United States (GO 4-5) 4; Speice, Canada (61 2-5) 5; Zorilla, Argentina (GV 3- 6. • , 800 metres swimming relay: Amenca 1. Japan 2, Canada 3. All three teams broke the Olympic record. America’s time was 576 1-5 sec. The 100 metres backstroke final was a splendid race, in which a yard would have covered the first six competitois at the finish. The world’s record holder, Miss Braun, was slightly ahead at half way. The others then were all level. • Miss Ena Stockley (New Zealand) was well with the leadeis until the last 20 yards, when she tired, and she finished last. Thus the last Australasian went out of the swimming events. Miss Stockley’s. time was Imin. 25sec. ; Both of the New Zealanders found the opposition too strong over the last semi-finals. Miss Garathy led throughout in her heat, leaving the field in the last 50 metres, the remainder finishing close together. Miss Miller (New Zealand), who was last, was only slightly behind the second place getter.

PEARCE’S VICTORY

AMSTERDAM, August 11

After yesterday’s sculling final, Myers perpetrated a good-humoured hoax by pretending to break up his racing shell in order to give Pearce and others a. souvenir, but it was not the boat in which he actually had raced.

Sir T. Ryrie (Australian High Commissioner) has sent a congratulatory /telegram to Pearce at Amsterdam.

PHILADELPHIA, August 11

The victory of Pearce over Myers at Amsterdam, carries with it the ’Philadephia Gold Challenge Cup, emblematic of the amateur sculling championship of the world. It can be challenged for on six months’ notice.

THE CLOSING SCENES

(Recd August 13, 1 p.m.) AMSTERDAM, August 12.

The Olympiad closed with spirited horse jumping in the stadium, after which twelve victors of equestrian events, chiefly officers in various uniforms, cantered round the track, amid a demonstration from forty thousand spectators Other prize winners paraded before the Royal Box, but the spectacle suffered by the absence of many, who were already on the way home. The Queen presented the first prizes. The Prince Consort, descending the track, presented the seconds. Comte Latour, President of the Olympic Executive, presented the third prizes. A fanfare of trumpets announced the closing of Olympia, and the Olympic flag was slowly hauled down, while the guns saluted, and the band played a farewell hymn. Finally the silk flag which Belgium gave in 1920, and which has been retained in Paris since 1924, was handed over to the Mayor of Amsterdam, where it remains until the Los Angeles Olympiad.

COMMUNIST SPORTSMEN

LONDON, August 12

A dispatch from Moscow states that the Soviet Games, Red rival to the Olympic Games, called the Spartakiade, have begun and will end on Aug. 22. There are several thousand foreign

(including British) competitors, the foreigners all representing Communist organisations.

EMPIRE v. U.S.A.

AMERICANS WIN.

LONDON, August 11.

The athletic contest between the British Empire and the United States at Stamford Bridge attracted the second biggest crowd ever seen at an athletic meeting in England. The attendance was officially estimated at 41,000. The competitors who paraded before the crowd, the Americans leading, received an ovation. The weather was ideal. The Americans caused one of the biggest surprises in winning the hurdles event, which was a chapter of accidents from the British point of view. The result of the contest was a victory for the Americans. Three Miles Teams Race. —British Empire, 17 points; United States, 20 points. Time 877 2-ssecs. Steeplechase Relay Race. —British Empire (462 sec Won by six yards. One Mile Medley Relay Race - British Empire (2203-ssec). Won by 15 yards. 400yds Relay Race.—United States defeated the Empire in 37 4-ssecs, by inches. Carlton (the Australian) replaced Legg (South Africa) in the second stage. Williams (Canada) was just beaten, and parlton lost a little ground. The United States led throughout.' . Long Jump. —United States, 891 ins. (Ham 301 ins., Dates 296in5., and Hubbard 294in5.); Empire 817 3-4ins.(At-kinson 286 3-4, Harrison, of Australia, 2741. Filjoen Throwing the Hammer.—United States, 5722 inches; British Empire, 3196 J, inches. Javelin Throwing.—British Empire, 71291 inches (Pilling, Canada, 2448; Lav, New Zealand, 2445; Weightman. Smith, South Africa, 2246^); United States, 7027 inches (Sayer 2422, Bartlett 2381, Harlow 2224). Pole Jump. —United States 469 inches; Britislh Empire, 432. High Jump.—United States, 228 inches ; British Empire, 219 inches.