SENSATIONAL RACE

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXV, Issue 22963, 15 February 1938, Page 17

SENSATIONAL RACE

MATTHEWS' TRIUMPH > COMPETITOR DISQUALIFIED QUESTIONABLE TACTICS USED [FROM OUR OWN COIUIKSPONDKNT] SYDNEY, Feb. 11 The high standard of performance that had been set on the first two days of competition Avas maintained by athletes competing in the Empire Games track and field championships at the Sydney Cricket Ground yesterday. Brilliant weather again prevailed and the track was very fast. Empire Games records were lowered in all of the six events completed, and the Australian record in live of them. In addition the Games and Australian records were broken in the heats of the 440 yards and the semi-finals of the ladies' 220 yards. The.six miles can only be described as a sensational race, in which C. Matthews repeated his great triumph of the three miles contest. The race was marked by the disqualification of J. A. Coleman, winner of the marathon on Monday, although an announcement to this etfect was not made until after Coleman, who was in the field merely as a pace-maker for his fellow South African, W. Hayward, had dropped out of the race. It appeared that Coleman had been given the task of breaking up the field for Hayward. He obtained the lead as soon ns ho could and then pounded along at a good pace in the van of the field. N. E. C. Stanford, a coloured competitor from Trinidad, had been the leader for a lap or two, but when Coleman came past Stanford tried several times to rob his opponent of the lead. Serious Tenseness

Once or twice, by desperately spurting, Stanford succeeded, but more often Coleman increased his pace and kept Stanford behind him. Olten they ran shoulder to shoulder and there seemed to be a serious tenseness between the two. When L. Weatherill, of England, came abreast and tried to take command Coleman again spurted and kept him out also. These tactics kept the crowd in a simmer of excitement and there were several bouts of hooting directed at Coleman.

Shortly before .the sixth lap was completed Stanford fell aud lay motionless on the ground. He had to be attended by ambulance _ men and officials and it was a long time before he recovered sufficiently to leave the ground. On the eleventh lap Coleman ran off the track and waved a salute to the crowd, which then hooted him loudly, it was not long afterward that the referee mado flu announcement that the South African had been disqualified, firstly for crossing Kankine, the Canadian, twice, and secondly lor attempting to prevent other conipetitors from passing him. Throughout the time of the torrid incidents out in front, .Matthews ami . his stern rival of the throe miles race. , P Ward, of England, had been near t the rear of the field. As the field ap- j proached the three miles Matthews sprinted through to the lead and from this stage set a pace that was terrific. Matthews Wins Easily The live miles was. covered in 25m 27 3-os. showing that the rate had not slackened from the start. Matthews then lengthened his stride slightly. Ward stuck with him but soon fell back, a beaten man. Matthews had the race won with two laps to go and he sprinted home to a great victory. He ran the last mile in 4m 46 9-10s and the last thl'ee miles in 15m .1 l-os. His time for the six miles, 30m 14£s, broke the Empire Games record _of his famous countryman, J. W. Savidan, by 35 l-£s and the Australian record by 1m 34*s. Both Matthews and Boot received congratulatory cablegrams from vv. It. Thomas, famous English coach and trainer of J. E. Lovelock. When in England before and after the Olympic Games of 1936 Boot and Matthews were under the care of Thomas, and both said that their success and recordbreaking achievements at the present Games were largely duo to his teaching. Both the New Zealand quarter-milers, H. J. Tyrie, of Otago, and A. J. Savers, of Auckland, were tuned at 49 1-59 in their respective heats. Ihe former ran his best 440 yards to date to run second in his heat and so ciualifv for the final. Sayers was eliminated bv two of the best quarter-milers in the'world, W. Roberts, of England, and W. Fritz, of Canada, both Olympic finalists. He stayed with his opponents up to 300 yards, but lacked the necessary finish. Third Place to Leckle The captain of the team, J. Leckie, gained third place in the hammer throw with an effort of 145 ft. s|in., which eclipsed the Australian record. Miss M. Mitchell, of Dargaville, exceeded all hei previous efforts when she threw the ladies' javelin 118 ft. Jin. to gain fourth place in this event, in which the standard was extremely high. The New Zealand discus thrower, J. "Morgan, of Wangahui, was off colour in his event, his best throw being just short of the 120 ft. mark. E. Coy, big hlond Canadian, was the successful competitor, his effort of 146 ft. lOJin. breakinf the Empire Games and Australian records. Miss D. Strachan gained sixth position in the ladies' broad jump with <r onp of 17ft. Oil in., b'»t tins was well below the winning effort of Miss M. Norman, Australia, who cleared 1911. OJin. to set a new Empire and Australm TlTC J Sncl»icl of swimming extremely. hisli.,»"<' "■« *«* itav « 3 r, Newell N. Crump, J. IJovies ana Misses W! Dunn and J. MacDonftld were well beaten in their events. All but Crump finished in last position. Iho c' use of the New Zealanders' heavy defeats was their failure to produce their best form. At no stage of their races which, with the exception of Miss Dunn s event, were elimination heats, did they appear likely to be prominent.