BRILLIANT EFFORT

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXV, Issue 22961, 12 February 1938, Page 15

BRILLIANT EFFORT

MATTHEWS EULOGISED SIX MILES PERFORMANCE WINNER DISLIKES DISTANCE By Telegraph—Press Association—Copyright (Received Fobruary 11, 5.5 p.m.) SYDNEY, Feb. 4.1 The manager of the Canadian Empire Games team, Mr. M. M. Robinson, described C. H. Matthews, ■winner of the six miles, as "another Nurmi." The Daily Telegraph states: "Matthews yesterday ran his first six miles track race and probably his lastl" The paper quotes Matthews as saying: "It's a silly distance. I don't mean it's an exhausting race. In fact it is much easier than two or three miles. It is the monotony that gets you—just running round and round a little track with nothing to see but a long line of faces on the fence.

"At times yesterday I got so bored that I began to wish someone would scoot out and set. up a big lead, just to make it a little more interesting. Over tho last mile it wasn't so bad. I was putting all I knew into it then, and seeing how many of the stragglers I could lap. Tho cheers of the crowd helped a lot at that stage." P. D. Ward, England, tried to go with Matthews at the commencement of the last mile, but he soon fell back beaten. It was learned later that he struck a running board inside the edge of tho track, with his left foot, and last night his ankle was badly swollen.

Se'cUonal Times The sectional times for the race were: —Mile, 4m 46 2-ss; two miles, 9m 65 4-ss; three miles, 15m 11 4-ss; four miles, 20m 17s; live miles, 25m 27 3-ss. The full distance was covered in 30m 14$s —a Games and Australian record. The Sydney Morning Herald Bays: "The six miles was a sensational race, in which Matthews repeated his triumph in the three miles event, and J. Coleman, South Africa, winner of the marathon, was disqualified. Jostling and hard tactics during the first half of the race marred the event as a sporting spectacle, but Matthews' lovely, even action and grand performance made spectators forget the earlier unpleasant incidents. "Matthews had the race won 'with two laps to . go. He would have had to drop 'dead to lose it.' Matthews, indeed. seems of the Nurmi school—ono of those indomitable men who > know not the ravages of human strain or difficulties ,of distance. Bemarkable Stamina

"Against a man of such mould no other competitor had a chance. Matthews thoroughly earned the title of British Empire's champion of stamina. The referee, Mr. said he had hot investigated any suggestion of elbowing by Coleman. Stanford, Trinidad, who dropped out of the race after 1J miles, alleged that he was so badly elbowed .by Coleman that it was impossible for him to continue. It is understood that the manager of tho Trinidad team has lodged a pro test- 'in writing, against certain kicidentft in the race. CTnofflclai Points Table The unofficial table of _ points for all Empire Games events 367: Canada, 248; England, 202; South Africa, 125; New Zealand. 110; Scotlan has gained points for athletics, boxing and swimming; British Guiana for swimming; Ceylon for athletics and boxing: Rhodesia for bowls and boxfng; Northern Ireland for bowls; and Fiji for bowl?. «■' , ' . New Zeal a.id has scored most points in bowls, and is fourth in. the athletic and wrestling tables,-but the Dominion scored very few points in swimming, boxing and cycling.

KING'S PRIZE SHOOTING

AUSTRALIAN THE WINNER

HQDDLE NOT PLACED February 11, 11.15 p.m.) SYDNEY, Feb. 11 Tbo rifle shooting for the King's i'ri.7.rj *yas won by V. Buttswortli, a Queensland farmer, with a score of i! 47 ininte Corporal Hoddle (England), Who led 'at the end of the second stage - iV ii-V a total of 201 points, Vas not nWed. Fourteen hundred marksmen W all parts of the Empire tooK part. In the Grace Bros, match, 10 shots At 600 yards, Parkinson was fourth, with the possible of 50, ana he won id. 50, Bowes, Soler and Nicholls, ' ei'.ok, won £l. , ft , Ix Mick Simmons match, 10 shots vt 600 and 700 yards Jeune, 98, won •€* Nicboßs, 97, Donald, Russell, Soler, Pl'kinsce, 5)0, James, Smith, Bowes, 95, Nvs, 94, and Oliver, 93, won £1