AUSTRALIAN ATHLETE.

Manawatu Standard, Volume LIX, Issue 100, 28 March 1939, Page 6

AUSTRALIAN ATHLETE.

MISS NORAIAN’S lAIPRESSIONS. Per Press Association. WELLINGTON, Alarca 28. Afiss Decima Norman, the brilliant Australian girl athlete, accompanied by her chaperone, Airs AlcGee, arrived from Auckland this morning and will leave to-night for Sydney. They were met on the station by Mr McCormick, the chairman of the New Zealand Olympic and British Empire Games Association ; Air Rowse, the secretary of the AVellington Amateur Athletic Association, and Airs Rowse, the lady officer of the latter body. In an interview, Aliss Norman said she would have a spell. She hopes to be selected for the’Olympic Games in Finland. She commented favourably on the tracks a.t Alorrinsville, Paeroa, and Otahuhu, hut was disappointed with that at Carlaw Park, Auckland. She said that, although it was correct that her stylo had been criticised, and she was awa.re that improvements could be effected, she did not propose to do anything that would tend to affect her natural ability. Before she came to New Zealand she had had the benefit of instruction by Mr Pat Walsh, and she hoped to he fortunate enough to have his services again. She had been agreeably surprised with the improvement made by Miss Doreen Lumley. of Auckland, and thought her six yards faster than when she competed in the Empire Games at Sydney. She was impressed, also, with the other girls she had met at Auckland. and felt that the institution of a national meeting for them was a step forward and a lead to better performances bv women. Airs .McGee mentioned that, quite definitely-, she would recommend on her return to Sydney a visit to Australia bv a team of New Zealand girls. Asked how many women athletes the Australian Women's Union was likely to recommend for the Olympic trip, Airs ARGoo said she would like to see six go. There were six in her opinion well worthy of being sent, and she thought that if that was possible Australia, apart from the individual contests. would have a very good chance of winning the 400 metres women’s relav, perhaps in record time. Women’s athletics in Australia, she said, were controlled entirely by women, and they had got along very well indeed.