EMPIRE GAMES

Hokitika Guardian, 11 February 1938, Page 5

EMPIRE GAMES

SIX MILE EVENT

MATTHEMS CREATES A RECORD.

(Australian Press Association).

SYDNEY, Feb. 10. Again records were smashed at today’s session of the Empire Games in the athletics section. . The most meritorious performance of the day as tuat of- Matthews ' (New Zealand) in the Six Miles event. He ran a well-judged race, lying quietly behind the leaders in the early stages, and going to the front when half tlie uistance had been covered., Showing great stamina, he increased his lead lo fifty yards in the last mile, and finished up a magnificent effort with a sprint. As the last lap progressed, the crowds round the fence rose and cheered.,. He. twice lapped Doyle ivho was the iast man tu ffnish, but four others of the fourteen competitors dropped out during

the race. Matthews was quite fresh when he finished, as also was Gedues (New Zealand), who also ran .well, though he never looked like winning. Matthews’s time, <3O min. 14.5 secs., was an ‘Empire Games and Australian record. It reduced by 35.1 secs, tne Games record established by ferividan of New Zealand in 1930. Once again, New Zealand women runners did not show to advantage, as compared with the other competitors. Miss Decima Norman (Australia), who was victorious 'in the Women’s Hundred -Yards, and broad jump, again distinguished herself in the heats in • the semi-final of the 220 yards race. Her time in the semifinal, 24.5 secs., • r was only one-fifth of a second outside the world’s record. Holmes’ win in the 220 yards event for men was .a magnincent performance, and it gave him a double win in tne present series. Leckie (New Zealand), was up against strong opposition in Sutherland, of Canada,, •in throwing the hammer, but he. secured third position. In the women’s .javelin throw, Miss Mitchell - (New Zealand) passed the present Games and Australian records, but the high standard can be seen by the fact tnat three threw further than she did. d The following are the results of the athletic events :- : 220 Yards—Men. i-‘ (Final). Holmes (England) v 1 Mumford (Australia) 2 Best (Australia) 3 Won by one yard; half a yard between second and third. Time 21.2 secs. An Empire Gaines and Ausktajalian record. From an even start, Xjßolmes narrowly took the lead, T which he held throughout. - 80 Metres Hurdles —Women. (First Heat). Miss Burke (South Africa) 1 Miss .Tong (New Zealand) 2 Miss Kennedy (Australia) • 3 Won by two yards; third threequarters of a yard l away. 'Time H-9 secs. r ,yt 1 Miss Burke established a lead from the outset, and she improved it as she ran. Miss Tong jumped well. She led the remainder of a bunched field. One Mde—Men'. (First Heat.) Alford (Wales) j Graham (Scotland) 3 Fuller (New Zealand) 3 Won by ten yards; third four yards away. Time 4 min. 17.3 secs. ino ■ New Zealanders were lying fourth and fifth, a few yards behind tne leader until they moved up to third and fourth approaching the tape. They were content to hold tfiese positions. (Second Heat.) Backhouse (Australia) ....! A Boot (New Zealand) i, 2 Eeles (England) 3 Won by one and a half yards; thnu L< i-een yarns behind. ’lime 4 min. 18 secs. The field was well bunched until 200 yards from home, when Boot sprinted from last place to the front. Backhouse challenged him in the straight. Boot made but little effort to respond, lie being content with second place. Clarke (Canada) was fourth. Matthews (New Zealand) did not start. Throwing the Hammer —Men. Sutherland (Canada) 159 ft 9g in 1 Pardon (Aust.) 148 ft o|in 2 Leckie (N.Z.) 145 ft 5-1 in •••• 3 Sutherland’s throw was an Empiie Games record. Six Miles —Men. Matthews (New Zealand) 1 Bankine (Canada) 2 Hayward (South Africa) 3 Matthews won by 180 yards. Hayward was 250 yards away. Time 30 min. 14.5 secs. Matthews’ time G an Empire Games and Australian record.

Gecvdes (New Zealand) was fourth. Coleman (South Africa), followed by Weatherill (England) and Matthews (New Zealand) made the running for the first two miles, hut then Coleman was disqualified for attempting to prevent Weatherill from passing him, and also for crossing Rankine twice. After three miles, Matthews moved to the front, fallowed closely bv Ward (England), ►s .Rankine (Canada), and Hayward (South Africa). Geddes (New Zealand) was then m sixth position: one hundred yards behind Matthews. That order was maintained until the last mile, when Matthews increased his speed, and he established a lead of fifty yards from [Rankine and Ward. Matthews spurt-

ed in the last lap, and lie also finished with a spurt. oiDNEY, February 11. Sectional times for the six miles are as follows:

One mile 4/46.5; two miles 9/55.4; three miles 15/11.4; four miles 20/17; five miles 25/27.6. The last mile took only 4/46.9. Ward struck his left foot against the running board at the edge of the track and last night his ankle was badly swollen.

440 Yards —Men (Second Heat). Loaring (Canada) Tyrie (now Zealand) Jones (Australia;,

Won by half a yard ; third live yards away. Time 49.2 secs. (Hurd Heat). Roberts (England) 1 Fritz (Canada) 2 Sayers (New Zealand) 3 \v on by six yards; Sayers fifteen yards away. Time 48.1 secs. Sayers does not qualify for the final. In the first heat, won by Shore (South Africa), with Mumford (Australia) second, tne time was 4i.9 secs., which is an Empire Games and Australian record. . 220 Yards—Women, (hirst Semi-Final). Miss Norman (Australia) • 1 Miss Burke (South Africa) 2 Miss l'albot (Australia) 3 Won by six yards; third two and ahalf yards away. Time 24.5 secs. This is an Empire Games and an Australian record.

(Second Semi-final). Miss Meagher (Canada) ... 1 Miss Coleman (Australia) i... 2 Miss Wearne (Australia) 3 Won by half a yard; inches between second and third. Time 25.1 secs. In the heats of this event, Miss Strachan (New Zealand), ran fourth in the first heat. Miss Lumley (New Zealand) ran third in the third heat., but she was disqualified for running in the wrong track.

Broad Jump—Men. H Brown (Canada) 24 ft. 4? ins. ... 1 J. Panton (Canada) 23 ft ins. 2 Eiekensen (Aust.) 23 ft. 5g ills ... 3 The winner set a. new Empire Games record.

Throwing the Javelin —Women. Miss Higgins (Canada) 125 ft 7Ains. 1 Miss Robertson (South Africa) 121 ft 4ins 2 Miss Lunn (England) 119 ft sli»s 3 Miss Mitchell (New Zealand) 118 ft. .Ofins 4 All four figures bettered the Empire Games and Australian record. 440 Yards Relay—Men. Canada 1 England ... ... 2 Australia : ■ 3 Won by two yards; third one yard away. Time 41. G secs, This is an Empire Games and Australian record. I SWIMMING FINALS DECIDED. SYDNEY, February 9. All the races to-night were finals, and the results were as follows: 440 Yards Free-style, Men. Pirie (Canada) .... ... 1 Lei vers (England) ... "2 Biddulph (Australia) 3 Won byi two yards; a touch. Time 4.54.6, a Games record. The race was an exciting contest between Pirie, Waimvright, .Biddulph and Lei vers (England), but Pirie forged ahead in the last lap, afid had a good margin at the finish. • 100 Yards Backstroke, Women. Norton (Australia) 1 Grenland (Wales) 2 Hamilton (Scotland) 3 Won by four yards; a yard. Time 1.19.5, an Australian record. Tt was a elope race throughout, Norton forging to the front in the last lap. • 440 Yards Freestyle, Women. Green (Australia) 1 Jeffrey (England) 2 Leydon (New Zealand)' 3 Won by two feet; two yards. Time 5.39.7. a Games and Australian record. Jeffrey’s time was 5.40.2. The only New Zealand competitor left, was Mona Leydon, She swam an excellently judged race. She lay fourth in the early stages, but turned second at th(> last lap. She was only a yard behind Green at the final turn, and appeared then to have a good chance of peared. However, Green spurted, and the,English girl. Jeffrey, came up very fast to beat Miss Leydon for second place. Miss Leydon’s time was 5.42, which is 3 3-ssecs below the Empire Games record. 220 Yards Breaststroke, Men. Davies (England) • 1 Snence (British Guiana 2 Prentice (Canada) 3 Won bv ton yards- two yards Time 2.51 .9, an Australian record. Davies went to the front at once, and increased his lead throughout DIVING JUDGES CRITICISED. SYDNEY, February 10. A charge, that tlie diving judges were incompetent, was made bv the manager of the Canadian team, (Mr Rolfinsnn). Tn flic women’s high-tower event.. Hook (Australia) bent Adams (Canada) by 36.47 Points to 35.39. “Our rnrl was robbed, and T do not care if the whole world knows it. Tlie judges do not seem lo know the rules of Aiying. and certainly do not know what the different dives arc. The variation in points for some (he dives made it obvious that much of the judging was guesswork.” declared Mr Robinson. RIFLE SHOOTING. N.Z. COMPETITORS’ PHIZES. SYDNEY, February 10. For the rifle-shooting, the conditions were good. The Englishman, Corporal 'L. Huddle, aged. 26, established a record

for the first stage of the King’s Prize, by gaining a treble possible on the bull’s eye, which bad been reduced, in size. He leads with 105, in seven shots at 300, 500, and 600 yards, from 1400 competitors. Buttenvorth, 103, won £3; Feist 101, £2; Soler 101, 30s; Symonds and Parkinson 100, Croxton, Nicliolls, Wrigley, Falrey, Smith 99, Hickinbotharn, Harris, Nix, Donald 98, all von £1 ; Tyros, Oliver, Clark and Purvis, 97, won £l.

Iff the Holmes Match, eight shots at 500 yards, Hunt, Soler, Bowes and Spry, all 32, won £l. In the Woolcott, Forbes aggregate (possible 300), West 286, won £4; Parkinson and James 284, £3; Bowes and Soler 282, Feist Croxton, McKenzie, Smith 279, Farley 278, Masefield and Cromie 276, Joune 275, Wrigley 274, Nix 273, all won £l. Tyros, Purvis 281, won £3; Clark 266 won 30s.

ROWING. SYDNEY, February 10. The “Herald” saffs: The eights’ race was a triumph for Turner, who only went into the stroke seat of the English boat twelve days ago. Tt was a drastic change to make, and that the-English crew won so brilliantly was not only a tribute to the stroke,/ but proof that in a. short period, the crew had blended into Turner’s style, and made up a machine-like combination, which gave the boat, an incessant run and smoothness. Australia won the fours in brilliant style, although strong combinations from New Zealand and Canada fought desperately to hold the'Australian four'. Fisher, setting” his crew a long stroke, never let up. Turner, sculling right up to the top of his form, gave a great display to’ win the sculls. Smith was placed at a disadvantage by the head wind. The showing ef Smith and Jackson in the double sculls could easily be unc verstood, as both had bad bard races earlier in the afternoon. - further events, wrestling and cycling. (Received this day at 10.5 a.m.) SYDNEY, February 11. In the final of the welterweight wrestling, Podjursky (New Zealand) gained third in his section. In the heavyweight section, Knight (Australia), beat Dyden (New Zealand) by one fall. In the preliminary beats, the thousand metre spring cycling event, the New Zealanders, Ulmer and Taylor won their heats, and Giles lut<J a walkover. Thus the tluee qualify for tho quarter finals. BOXING RESULTS. (Received, this day at 10.5 a.m.) "SYDNEY, February 11Bantam weight—Butler (England) beat Knoesea (South Africa) on points, tho decision receii ing a very mixed reception. Featherweight—Watson (Scotland) lost to Henrieks (Ceylon), on points. The victor was superior in height and reach hut the Scotsman fought well. Moran (New Zealand) was third in this section.

Lightweight—Groves (England) gained a. points decision over Hurst (Canada) in a bard fought match. Welterweight—Smith (Australia) beat ITeeiiev (New Zealand) on points. Smith had an advantage in height and reach, Put Heency forced the fighting and scored in close with both hands to tho body, boxing more impressively than in the first bout. Smith used the ring well aiq) scored with both hands in straight work. Heetioy went alter Smith jj< the’last, round, but Smith countered cleverly and after a willing mill the decision went to Smith.

Middleweight.—Dennis (England) ■ risk to Reardon (Wales) alter a spirited bout.

Light heavyweight..- Wolmnranr. (South Africa! heat Overell (Australia) after a bright bout, in which there was lull'd bitting, Heavyweight.- Osborne (Canada) heat Sterloy (South Africa! It was ;i poor display wit.li much wild swinging.