NEW ZEALAND ATHLETES

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXV, Issue 22956, 7 February 1938, Page 8

NEW ZEALAND ATHLETES

Among the fine performances witnessed on the opening day of the Empire Games in Sydney, that of the New Zealander C. H. Matthews in the three-mile running event was outstanding, while V. P. Boot in the half-mile and S. A. Lay in the javelin throw also gained honour for themselves and their country. In breaking 14 minutes Matthews took rank with the great athletes of the world. High hopes were held of him when he went to the Berlin Olympiad, but owing to a shin injury he failed to perform up to expectations. Now he is at the top of his form. At the Wellington trials ran the distance in 14m 7s, which was nearly 13 seconds better than the best recorded time of P. D. Ward, the representative of England. At the Sydney trials a week ago he broke the State i*ecord for four miles and on Saturday defeated the Englishman by 30 yards. It was a magnificent performance which may stand for yeans as an Empire Games' record. In winning the first heat of the 880 yards in lm 52.35, V. P. Boot took another Games' record, which is only one second slower than the best performance of Dr. O. Peltzer, the famous German runner. Boot began his athletic career by establishing a world's record for schoolboys for the mile on a grass track, and since his visit to the last Empire Games has improved. It is very gratifying to New Zealanders that the members of the team from whom most wuh expected have proved their quality so early in the carnival, and whatever the fortunes of the team in the future, the Dominion may justly take permanent pride in possessing the three-mile champion of the Empire whose victory was so decisive and so meritorious.