JAPANESE ATHLETES

Manawatu Standard, Volume LVII, Issue 69, 22 February 1937, Page 9

JAPANESE ATHLETES

CONVINCING DISPLAY. APPEARANCE AT AUCKLAND. Per Press Association. AUCKLAND, Feb. -21. The Japanese athletes were seen in action in New Zealand for the first time on Saturday, when Kohci Murakoso, long distance runner, and Kenshi Togami, jumper, made thenfirst 'competitive appearance of the Dominion tour at a special carnival held by the Auckland Amateur Athletic Centre at Cnrlaw Park. Both visitors, who were among the best Japanese performers at the Berlin Olympic Games, gave outstanding displays. Outpacing his opponents with ease, Murakoso scored a decisive win in the special two miles handicap, while his countryman won the broad jump and gained second place in both the hop, step and jump and high jump. Covering the first lap in 64sec., the second in 66sec., the third in 69sec., and the fourth in 71sec., making 4min. 30sec. for the first mile, Murakoso was at this stage well ahead of ms co-marker J. W. Savidan. When the winner’s time was announced at Jmui. 20 3-ssec., only two-fiftlis of a second outside the New Zealand recoicl established by R. Rose in 1927, it was evident that had Murakoso been at an pressed in the final stages lie would have set new figures comfortably. Togami, ranked among the finest jumpers in the world, gave a highclass display of broad jumping to attain a distance of 23ft. Blin., only 2iin. short of the national record, rte has evidently not yet properly settled down after his rough trip from ajunej during the week. Togami experienced difficulty in striking the take-olf boaid accurately. One of his leaps earned him the remarkable distance of Jbtt. but was disallowed as his foot was a fraction over the mark when he took Rhythm and co-ordination of the three movements were the most noticor able features of Togami s hop step jumping, the powerfully built Japanese giving a glimpse of ms C! “’)' c in this event by. clearing 46ft. lyimwith a first effort. His second jump was even a better distance, being 4811. lOin., but was disallowed on another technicality. , Togami displayed versatility by cleaiing the bar at sft. 9lin. in the high jump.