GREAT ATHLETE

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXV, Issue 22961, 12 February 1938, Page 18

GREAT ATHLETE

[MATTHEWS' BRILLIANCE VICTORY IN THREE MILES STIRRING CONTEST WITNESSED STRONG CHALLENGE REPULSED [fkom oub own coiiiiesfondknt] SYDNEY, Feb. 7 Honourg were fairly evenly divided at the opening day of the British Empire Garafes. . Of the six completed events, Canada won two, and New Zealand, -England, South Africa, and Australia one each. But, if anything, it was' New Zealand's day, for her victory came in C. H. Matthews' splendid three miles, and, in addition, T. Allen and V. P. Boot won tho two heats of the 880 yards, the former establishing an Australian record and the latter breaking both that record aud tho Empire Games record a few minutes later, Tho three miles event was the most dramatic feature of a day of splendid performances by tho finest collection of athletes ever gathered in Australia. The athletics reporter of the Sydney Morning Herald, a man with nearly 40 years', experience in athletics, spoke of it as "tho race of a lifetime" and "one of the fastest and best-contested races ever seen in the world." Matthews' tussle was with the experienced English champion, P. Ward. An Australian, W. F. Colman, piloted the field for the first of 12 laps, but in the next Matthews worked his way to the front and in the third Ward settled down at Matthew*.' elbow —a position ho always takes with the man he considers his most opponent in a race. At tho jmtf-way mark, the race was definitely between these two. R. Rankino, Canada, was the only other within striking distance, the remainder being strung out at intervals which became longer and longer as the race progressed. Stragglers Eliminated

At the end of the ninth lap, only seven runners remained in the race. Matthews and Ward were 70 or 80 yards in . front of Rankine, whose chances of catching the leaders seemed to be fading. The crowd, simmering with excitement, concentrated on the stirring battle between the New Zealander and the Englishman.

The Englishman's style was perhaps the better of the two—a lovely sweeping movement of legs, with arms working in perfect co-ordination, body upright, head superbly poised. It was a grand spectacle to see him running, and it seemed, so easily was he covering the laps, that he must pass Matthews when and how he wished. Matthews and "Ward caught up with the stragglers during the second to last lap. "With only 440 yards to cover, no one could possibly take the lead from them. The crowd, worked up to a high pitch of excitement, urged each of .them, regardless of country or favouritism. Matthews seemed uneasy. He repeatedly shot quick glances over his right shoulder, expecting Ward to burst past him and determined not to be taken unawares. But Ward relentlessly waited and waited. -

Ward Reserv«s>Himsell

Still pounding along, the evenness of his stride.-unbroken, Ward was only a handsbreadth* away from Matthews' elbow. He seemed, of the two, to have more in reserve. When was that English challenge, which had so often put the fear of defeat into the hearts of great Finnish distance runners, to .come? The pace quickened. One would have thought that these two men were finishing an 880 yards instead of t six times that distance. Then the Ward challenge came, with-300 vards to go. His great stride lengthened. His head came back with the determination of the last effort. The arms worked harder. But Matthews was prepared. He would not be robbed of his lead. That margin had become precious to him after his long possession of it, and he clung to it like a miser over-his gold. Once, twice, thrice, Ward diVed at him, tried to pass him. But every English challenge was beaten - back by New Zealand counter-attack. With half a lap to go, the race was decided. Ward could-not get past. The crowd, cheering itself hoarse, was amazed Jo see that handsbreadth between tha two grow into a. yard—daylight "i between them—two yards! Soon it was 10 yards, and the nearer therworsted tape at,the finish came, the greater grew, Matthews' advantage. Be finished . with an .of speed. 30- yards• ahead of Wafu, and ! ambled into ,the- centre—the hero of a; great' triumph. There were hundreds of New Zealand' voices raised in glee—appropriately, tbo, for their countryman -tad smashed the Empire Games record by 27.85, and had come within; nine seconds of the world record of the great Einnish runner, Lauri Lehtinen. » r Allan's Sensational Sprint As this is writteriy Allen and Boot have still to ,contest .the. final of the' 880 but whether® either wins or' loses,'h°th'have achieved athletic fame. The 'two heats were 'remarX ble races. Allen WQta' his•' heat) in wnich some roughness was discernible, with a sensational'sprint halfway through the race, 'coitimg " front second to last at the 440 'yttrds. mark. to first place with about '3OO yards to go. He had to go round and through a packed field to do so". Allen .never let up. "Although the Australian champion, G. 1. Backhouse, and the Englishman,- F. R. Handle*, challenged hinv strongly, they failed to reach .'the flying, black-garbed figure. Boot,-won his heat with an oldfashioncd (jhallefige in the straight. Ho was in third or fourth position for most of the race, but with about 70 yards to go ho set out after B. F. McGabe, England,,and J. W. Aiford, Wales, who had ,been ; together almost from the start; caught them and then sprinted in a narrow winner. His time of lm 52,6s was ''2.2s faster than Allen s and broke the Empire Games record by o.ls and the Australian record by 2./s.