ATHLETICS V. P. Boot's Outstanding Record

Greymouth Evening Star, 16 January 1947, Page 9

ATHLETICS V. P. Boot's Outstanding Record

V. P. Boot, who died suddenly at Gisborne yesterday, was one of the best athletes New Zealand has known. He was aged 32. Born at Ashburton, Mr Boot received his early secondary education at Waitaki Boys’ High School, and later attended Timaru Boy’ High School. A powerful young runner, he made athletic history in South Canterbury when he ran a mile in 4min 26 4-ssec, an Empire schoolboys’ record, beating the 4min 29 3-ssec made by C. H. Matthews, of Christchurch Technical College. He twice won the New Zealand 880 yards championship, and was the holder of the mile title.

He represented New Zealand at the Olympic Games at Berlin in 1936 and at the Empire Games held in 19,38 at Sydney. At the latter games he ran half a mile in lmin 51 2-ssec, the fastest time ever recorded by a New Zealand runner. He also held the New Zealand record of lmin 53 2-5 sec until it was reduced to lmin 52 3-ssec by the Auckland runner D. M. Harris at Welington last season. Boot volunteered for active service early in the war, and after service in the Pacific served in the Middle East and Italy, reaching the rank of captain. While on active service he competed in races in Egypt, and while he did not regain the form he had shown, in New Zealand, he won a number of races.

After his return to New Zealand he maintained an interest in athletics and did good work as a coach in the Gisborne district, where he was an inspector in the Agricultural Department. Mr Boot’s wife died while he was on active service in 1943.