RANK WITH GREATEST

Gisborne Herald, Volume LXXIV, Issue 22241, 29 January 1947, Page 7

RANK WITH GREATEST

HARRIS AS HALF-MILER

AMERICAN'S TRIBUTE

“Harris is the finest half-miler I have ever run against and the finest I have ever seen,” said the American, J. Fulton, in a telephone interview with tlie Auckland Herald subsequent to Saturday’s half-mile race at Wanganui, in which he was beaten by the New Zealand champion, D. M. Harris, by a foot in lmin. 49 2-ssec. That time was one-fifth of a second faster than the American record, 3 l-ssec. faster than the New Zealand record set up by Harris at the Basin Reserve, Wellington, last season and only one-fifth of a second outside the world record established by the Englishman, S. G. Wooderson, in 1938. The half-mile was also the fastest ever run in the Southern Hemisphere. “I did not have personal acquaintance witfe them, but Rudolf Harbig. of Germany. John Woodruff, of the United States, and S. G. Wooderson, of Britain, are generally considered the finest halfmilers of all time,” added Fulton. “I would certainly class Harris as in their company.”

Fulton said he could not say whether Harris would return even faster times if he had sufficient training on cinder tracks, which provide a firmer surface than grass and which are believed, at the distance of half a mile, to be from one or two seconds faster than the finest of grass tracks. ‘‘Many people have asked me the question since last night,” said Fulton, “but honestly I don’t know what the effect of the change to cinders would be upon Harris. All I can say at the moment is that he is a wonderful natural runner.” Fulton said it was the fastest halfmile he himself had ever run. His previous best time, on cinders, was lnr. 51s. He had tried very hard to win, but Harris was just too good for him. He was looking forward to his next race against Harris at Wellington next Saturday.