OLYMPIC ATHLETES.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXI, Issue 18772, 28 July 1924, Page 7

OLYMPIC ATHLETES.

SWIMMERS IN ENGLAND.

CONTEST WITH AMERICANS.

(Received 5.5 p.m.) A. and N.Z.—Router. LONDON. July 26. The Australian Olympic representative, jelichard Eve, won the national graceful diving championship of England. He had an easy victory, scoring 159£ points, as compared with 136 scored by Knight (England), who was second.

At the Harrow baths a contest between the Olympic swimmers of the British Empire and those of the United States was held to-day. America won by nine events to two. The results were:—

Men's 440 yds. Swim. —Charlton (Auslj Smith (America), 2; Howell (America), 3. Won easily. Time, 5m 335. The Empire team's other victory was in the ladies' furlong breast stroke race, won by Miss Carson (England) in 3m 395.

110 Yards.—Weismuller (America), lj Henry, 2; Duke Kahanamoku, 3. Won by two yards. Time, 61 l-ss. Ladies' 440yds.—Miss Ravoir (America), 1; Miss Gwitfaa Shand (New Zealand), 2; Miss Molesworth (England), 3. Won by four yards. Time, 6m 40 4-ss. Half-mile, teams of four.—America beat the Etrapire team, including Christie and Beaurepaire, easily, in 10m 39 4-ss. Ladies' 440 yds, teams of four.—America beat the Empire team, including Miss Shand, by two yards, in 5m 235, At an Olympic luncheon to the Olympic athletes, Mr. S. Merrett, manager of tjie Australian team, said that several cf the boxing decisions were contrary to English' ideas of sport. He deplored the propaganda against the games, however, and suggested that nations with high , sport ideals should confer and bring up others to the same level.

Sir Joseph Cook, High Commissioner for Australia, proposed the health of Miss Gwitha Shand (New Zealand), the only colonial girl to take part in the Olympic Games.

The Standard says that the achievements of A. E. Porritt (New Zealand) at Paris stamp him as one of the world's three best sprinters. The Charlottenburg Sports Club has invited the foremost Olympic athletes to compete in the August meeting and has offered to pay all their expenses. Porritt has accepted the invitation.