ATHLETICS

Gisborne Times, Volume LXXXIV, Issue 12869, 23 May 1936, Page 11

ATHLETICS

AN ENGLISH XURMT

W. E» Eaton, the Salford- harrier

who won the English 10-mile running ehampTinship at White City, is holing hailed as an English Nurmi. The. previous record was held hv Alfred Shrubby and was -set up at Glasgow in-’ 1904. Erf.on’s time was oOmin. 3d t-osocs. almost lOscc. faster than Slirubb' s. The present holder of the six-mile record is P. Nurmi, the famous Finn, who covered the, distance in 23 min. ,vS 2 -risers. at Stamford bridge in 1930. Eaton also hopes to break S. Thomas’ English record- of 30min. 17 4-osocs, set up in 1892. .Ert ton’d brilliant. 11111 stamps him as one- of the greatest, track men in the world. Except for a- moment ap the beginning of the. race, and for an interlude of two- laps in the second mile, E:» on made all his own running. Yet lid did not have it- all his own way. It was not until'; well into the ninth nrile that- J. A. Burns, of the Elswiek. Harriers failed to respond tii (he unremitting and- increasing pace. For 44 minutes- lie had run two yards behind. Eaton. Eaton has a smooth, and slow stride. and- 1 allows, bis arms, to- hang. He gives the impression, of being perfectly comfortable, even when striding put. at- his fastest. In everyday life Eaton is a worker in a Sal bird factory.

TOLAN MAY RE-YISIT AUSTRALIA

Eddie Tolan, the American negro sprint champion is expected to revisit Melbourne in December. Tolan is one of. those amateurs; who- jumped into l tli or professional game with the glamour of an Olympic championship still -upon: them. It- is doubtful whether he lia-s t made much out ol his change-over, -since professional running is- practically dead, everywhere iii Australia, and b- hi® owh America- h‘W been, embalmed this 30 yonks.. The- prizes find pickings at the Austrnfiaif '' meetings- are, therefore, not to Ire despised.. The French runner,- Ladoiuncgue, who was hatred from the last Olympiad for technical professionalism, may be showing -in Melbourne.'also. Tie -still bolds,world’s face, for- .100-9 and SOiiO metre*: and three-quarters of a mile. The V ie-t-o riati Athletic League will bold ebni:nnition tests open to, the best ••spruitcra in Australia., andkthe leading eight- will* challenge -Tolan over Yo; ICO, -130 a-ncl 220 .yards. The tests will be held in November, and-the championship®-will probably he contested in February. •