ATHLETICS

Hokitika Guardian, 16 October 1933, Page 2

ATHLETICS

20 MILES MARATHON RECORD. OTAGO MAN’S BRILLIANT RACE. (Per Press Association — Copyright.) WELLINGTON, October 25. With the words, “I’m terribly tired,” E. C. Brown, of Dunedin, Otago provincial representative and road champion, threw himself on the turf, a wearied runner, in the Olympic 20 miles marathon at Trentham on Saturday, after an epic struggle with A. L. Stevens, of Wellington. Sharing favouritism with Stevens, Brown at the outset forced himself away from the elite of the other clubs, with Stevens in close attendance, but such was the pace he set that he completely dropped the opposition in 12 miles, and he had definitely disposed of Stevens at the fifteen miles mark.

The 'manner in which Brown covered a mile, vaulting fences with consummate ease, showed the southerner to be a champion, and he electrified the crowd by running the first 15 milo s of the course in under 90 minutes. Alternatively walking and running over the final phase, one lap (of the racecourse, Brown, showing the rigours of the race, bravely breasted the tape amidst enthusiastic applause. His remarkable run had reduced the record set by A. L. Stevens by 4min 39see, his time being 2hr lOmin 37sec. A victim of pace and distance, Stevens fell eventually to J. Blanehfield, who ran quietly from a bunch of the teams to pass Stevens three-quarters of a mile from home.