OLYMPIC GAMES

Hawera Star, Volume XLVII, 30 July 1928, Page 8

OLYMPIC GAMES

AMSTERDAM EN FETE. OPENINGS PREPARATIONS. MARCH PAST OF ATHLETES. United Press Association---By Electric Telegraph Copyright.) (Australian Press Association.) AMSTERDAM, July 27. In preparation for the eve of the opening/ of tne Olympic Games with a march past of 2000, many being world’s champions in many fields of sport, Amsterdam is a blaze of colour, and dags of all competing nations are dying above the quaint old-time time squares or hanging from windows of ancient towering buildings. The buildings, narrow streets, and avenues are brilliant with bunting everywhere. The Olympic flag, blue, white and orange has the place of honour. Many of the 347 bridges spanning the canals are decorated with evergreens and flagpoles flaunting the Olympic colours, while the avenues of lime trees bordering the canals are festooned with electric lights in preparation for the great illuminations. ROHR ITT COMPETING FOR NEW ZEALAND. AMSTERDAM, July 27. The New Zealander Porritt competes in the thirteenth heat of the 100metres. Watson, assuming that he is able to start in the 400 metres hurdles, meets the Britishers Livingstone and Learmont-h and the Frenchman Veil. Heavy showers to-dav should greatly improve the track for Sunday. Carlton is resting, and he is confident of being fit on the day of the race. DRAW FOR HEATS. AUSTRALIAN ATHLETES HAVE MIXED LUCK. AMSTERDAM, July 27. The cyclists’ test race was not held owing to the wet track. The race will be held next week. The athletes spent an easy day in view of Sunday’s races, in the draw for which they have had mixed luck. Carlton is in the eleventh heat of the 100 metres, and is opposed by five unknowns, but Australia’s 800 metres runners have each drawn particularly hot opposition. Whyte, in the second beat, meets the world’s record holder Peltzer, while Stewart in the fifth | heat opposes the American Hahn and the German Engleharett. Many expect the 800 metres to provide the greatest race of the games.

The first two in each lieat of the 100 metres qualify for the semi-finals, and the first three in the 800 metres.