EMPIRE GAMES

Grey River Argus, 15 February 1938, Page 6

EMPIRE GAMES

AUSTRALIA’S SUCCESS Win Championship I Aus. & N.Z. Cable Assn.] SYDNEY, February 14. In the Empire Games, the unofficial points table was as follows: — • Australia Canada 319 England South Africa >- aB New Zealand 156 Wales 28 Scotland Ceylon Rhodesia 10 British Guiana 5 Northern Ireland 3 Fiji 1 . Australia, with the largest numerical representation, 151, won the championship. but the 28 South Africans had the best percentage of wins. Of the seventy events decided in six sections at the 1938 Games, Australia won 24, England 15, Canada 13. South Africa 10, New Zealand b. Wales 2, and Ceylon 1. The star performer at the Games undoubtably was Miss Decima Norman, who, in addition to three individual wins, was a member of the Australian teams winning the 440 yds and 660 yds relays, so that she receivevd five gold victory medallions. This achievement has never been equalled by any other athlete in the world “This meeting has provided by tar the finest exhibition in the history of competitive sport between representatives of the Dominions,” said Sir James Leigh Wood (chairman of the British Empire Games Federation). CHICAGO, February 12. Mr Avery Brundage, president of the United States Olympic Comxnitte, commenting on Mr Pash’s anti-Japan-ese statement, said that it would not influence the American committee. "Politics has no place in amateur sport,” he said. LAVERY’S RECORD. REFEREE’S QUEER ACTION. SYDNEY, February 14. The “Herald” says that amazement was caused when the referee (Mr. Langford) ruled that Lavery was assisted by the breeze. This will probably prevent the South African s. record being internationally recognised. Many experts, including the “Herald s athletic reporter, disagreed with the referee’s ruling, as in their opinion, the wind was slight, and blew across the course. It will be unfair to Lavery if the ruling of the referee debars his time from being accepted as a world record. The “Herald” adds: Fortunately for the peace of the gathering, the referee’s report was not announced to the public, otherwise, the applause for Lavery would have been turned to a tumultuous demonstration of hostility such as had never previously been heard on the Sydney Cricket Ground, and it would have been one dark spo on one of the brightest and greatest contests between world-famous athletes, on record. The “Herald representative asked Mr. Langford for an official statement. His reply was, “The wind assisted the runners and the record cannot be passed. was the wind coming from. the referee. “Was it a norther y breeze or was it from the nort east?” asked the reporter J cannot say, but I know it assisted them, because it was behind them. It touc ed them on the shoulders, said Mr. La The°“Herald’s” reporter adds: It was apparent that the referee was perplexed, and was unable to state definitely what really happened. ATHLETES' VISIT TO NEW ZEALAND. SYDNEY, February 14. Mr McCormick, manager of the New Zealand Games team, is conducting negotiations for four or six Australian athletes to visit New Zealand, early next season. Backhouse, Metcalfe, Pardon Stenner, and Stubbs are some of the athletes under discussion. Mr. McCormick hopes for a revival of biennial challenges between Australia and New and. The Canadians have chosen a verv strong team to participate in the Auckland meeting, during their stay there on the way back to America. AMSTERDAM, February 13. Miss Van Feggelen created a world record for 400 metres backstroke, by covering the distance in 341.4 seconds. WOMEN SWIMMERS’ VISIT TO NEW ZEALAND. SYDNEY, February 12. Miss Ena Stockley, the New Zealand Swimming Association’s selector, has asked Miss Evelyn De Lacy and Miss Dorothy Green, the Western Australian swimming champions, whether they would consider an invitation to visit New Zealand as the guests of the Eastern Suburbs Club, Auckland. Miss De Lacy said she would go, bu. Miss Green is doubtful as to her ability to make the trip as she has to leave for Perth to-night, and she would probably be unable to return in time. If the invitation were accepted it would be necessary for the swimmers to be in Auckland early in March. Miss Mona Leydon will leave for Brisbane to-night. NEXT GAMES. SYDNEY, February 11. Members of the British n,mpire Games Federation to-day placed on record their disinclination to participate in Olympic Games held in any country involved in war. New Zealand was represented at the Federation meeting. It was decided that the next Empire Games should be held in Canada in 1942, provided that Canada submitted an application by December. It was agreed that a bowling tournament should be included in the future Games programme, which will be standardised to include athletics, boxing, bowls, rowing, swimming, and wrestling. It was further agreed that England and the Dominions should endeavour to send judges for diving, wrestling, and boxing, these officials to be component parts of every team sent to the Games. OLYMPIC GAMES. LONDON, February 11. An impression is growing in athletic

circles that Japan will waive the 1940 Olympic Games, in favour of Eng I& Mr. H. F. Pash, a member of the executive committee of the Amateur Athletic Association, in a speech a. Chelmsford, declared that the Association was unanimous that, it tm 1940 Olympiad were held at Tokio, it should not receive the support of British competitors. This would mean that the United States and others would follow Britain’s lead it is not a question of politics, he said, “but a matter of humanity ana fair play, and fair play is the foundation of sport.” SWIMMERS TO VISIT NEW ZEALAND. CHRISTCHURCH, February 12. The proposed tour of New Zealand by the Canadian Empire Games swimming team will not eventuate, according to advice received by the secretary of the New Zealand Swimming Council (Mr. Baxter O’Neill) from the manager of the Dominion Games swimming team (Mr. E. C. Isaacs). However, the disappointment at tne non-appearance of the Canadians will be tempered by Mr. Isaac’s advice tha. Norman Wainwright, the British Olympic representative, and an outstanding competitor at the Sydney Games, will tour the Dominion in April. Wainwright, who registers fast times over all distances from sprints to a mile, intends to make a business trip to New Zealand, and is prepared to appear for nothing at carnivals at Auckland, Rotorua, Christchurch, Dunedin and Invercargill. The only expenses facing the centres will be the ordinary carnival expenses. Mr. Isaacs has also informed Mr. O’Neill that he is negotiating to secure a visit to New Zealand by Walter Spence, for coaching demonstrations, this season, if possible. Spence, who is a British Guiana representative at the Empire Games, has also appeared at the Olympic Games. He is a noted coach, but also has a fine reputation as a versatile competitor, for he can hold his own in the best company, not only in free-style, but in backstroke and breaststroke events. Final advice that the three New Zealand women Games representatives are available for an educational tour of the Dominion, has also been received from Mr. Isaacs. These are Mona Leydon (440 yards), Joyce McDonald (backstroke), and Gwen Rix (diver). SACK RACE RECORDS. I Per Press Association.] WELLINGTON, February 13. Long-standing world sack race records were broken in a special event at the Wellington Athletic Centre’s electric light sports last night, by Alex Hill, who covered 75 yards in 10 1-10 seconds, better by 7-10 seconds than the 1901 figures of R. Mercer (Rochester), and the 100 yards in 13 3-5 seconds. The previous record for 100 yards was 14 1-5 seconds by J. A. Finn (Brooklyn, New York), in 1929. At the same meeting, A. L. Fitch, the American coach, ran 120 yards unpaced in 11 2-5 seconds.