Olympic Cyclist to Become a Professional

Manawatu Times, Volume LIV, Issue 6815, 19 January 1929, Page 4

Olympic Cyclist to Become a Professional

AUSTRALIA seems to be having more than its share of troubles over last year’s Olympic Games. On top of the recent squabbles and bickering about the performances and conduct of certain members of the team comes the news that J. Standen, one of the cyclist members of the team, has decided to become a professional. |

S tan d en who visited New Zealand a year or so ago, makes the following grandiloquent ann o u n c ement: "I want to get to the top of the tree as a cyclist, and the only

way to emulate the deeds of other great Australians is to join the professionals, as there is more scope there for me.” His team-mate, Bobby Pearce, the sculler, has also been talking about embracing professionalism, saying that he “cannot live on thin air,” although' he had managed to get on quite well at his work until his Olympic triumph. There is nothing to stop an amateur turning professional, but they do not improve their reputation by making all sorts of excuses for so doing. 9