Boot Breaks Half-mile Record

Manawatu Times, Volume 61, Issue 71, 25 March 1936, Page 5

Boot Breaks Half-mile Record

Successful Comeback WILL HE GO TO OLYMPIAD ? Per Press Association. CHRISTCHURCH,' Last Night. V. P. Boot ran the half-mile at Lancaster Park to-night in Irnin. 53 2-5 sec, breaking the New Zealand record of linin. 54 4-ssc<j with ease. His run was made on a dead track in a handicap race with T. G. Broadway, oil scratch with him. Boot is considered capable of getting still further below the record, and a move will be made to reopen the question of sending him to the Olympic Games. He will make an attempt on Saturday on the 1000 yards record. Should Giles Go ? Per Press Association. CHRISTCHURCH, Last Night. The Canterbury centre of the New Zealand Amateur Cycling Association to-night decided to ask the council of the association to re-open and favourably consider the nomination of G. R. Giles, New Zealand cycling champion, for.tho Olympic Games. The centre had before it the minutes of the Council’s meeting, showing that only five or the nine council members were present to discuss the claims of Giles, and that his nomination was voted out by three votes to two. It was contended that no sufficient reason had been advanced for the rejection of the nomination. 5000 Competitors for Olympic Games TRUE SPIRIT MAINTAINED. Forty-nine nations will compete in the 1936 Olympic Games in Berlin, the greatest number in the history of the Olympic Games. Estimates based on the information given to the organising committee by tho various natious sending teams indicate that some 5,000 contestants may bo expected in Berlin. Certainly the number will greatly exceed the 3,905 who took part in tho Amsterdam Games in 1925. Second to the Amsterdam Games in the number of competitors come the eighth Olympic Games at Paris in 1924, with 3,385, then Stockholm in 1912, with 3,282. When the games were held in London in 1908, 2,052 athletes took part. The last Olympic Games in Los Angeles in 1932 were attended by 3,700 competitors, and the 1920 games in Antwerp-by 2,741. Berlin’s expected 5,000 is a far cry from the first Olympic Games in Athens in 1594, when the contestants numbered 484. Many Trainers and Officials. Japan alouo will send a party of 373 to Berlin in August of this year. This is three times as many as represented Japan at Los Angeles games in 1932 Not all 373, however, will be contestants. Tho athletes will number some 260, tho rest of the party being made up of trainers and officials. These will probably include several Japaueso cooks, for facilities are being provided in the Olympic Village for each team to have its food prepared by native cooks if they so desire. The Italian learn will number 400, 263 men, 26 women, and 100 officials. The United States will send a party of 327; Sweden 225, 140 of whom will be competitors; Hungary 245, Switzerland 150, Poland 103, Peru 49, and Esthonia 56.

The number of athletes who will represent Great Britain in Berlin has not yet been decided. Most of the other countries have been enabled to complete their arrangements because they are getting a Government grant towards their expenses, but the British Olympic Committee has to appeal for funds, and on the response to the appeal depends the number of athletes they will be able to send to represent Great Britain in Berlin.