RECORDS LOWERED AS ATHLETICS BEGIN IN FAVOURABLE WEATHER

Otago Daily Times, Issue 27307, 6 February 1950, Page 5

RECORDS LOWERED AS ATHLETICS BEGIN IN FAVOURABLE WEATHER

From the Sports Editor AUCKLAND, Feb. 5. Performances in line with the highest international standards were features of the opening session of the track and field section of the British Empire Games at Eden Park. This produced a regular orgy of record breaking on Saturday afternoon. In contrast with the outstanding nature of the performances, however, the control of the meeting left much to be desired. Even a provincial championship meeting would not have tolerated the delays that occurred, t The gathering concluded nearly two hours • beyond the scheduled time. There was also a -bijeak of 50 minutes between the impressive opening ceremony and the first athletic event. The breaking of records began in the first event and continued all the afternoon—so did the delay and hitches in the running of the pror gramme. This came to a distressing climax that held up the actual start of the final of the 100 Yards for more than 35 minutes. The race was run at 6.7 p.m.

The women’s world record for 100 yards of 10.8 sec, established by the Olympic champion, Fanny BlankersKoen, of Holland, in 1944, was equalled by the 18-year-old Australian runner, Marjorie Jackson, in winning both her heat and the final. This was o.2sec better than the New Zealand record and o.3sec faster than Decima Norman’s Empire Games record.

J. F. Treloar, Australia, equalled the British Empire record of 9.7 sec for 100 yards established by the Englishman, C. ',B. Holmes, at the Sydney Games in '1938. Treloar did so in his heat. He established fresh figures of 9.6 sec in the semi-final, this also equalling the New Zealand record he set at Christchurch and Auckland during his tour of New Zealand in 1947. In the final, Treloar again clocked 9.7 sec. Another British Empire record was chalked up by an Australian when the Olympic champion, John. Winter, won the High Jump at 6ft 6in —equivalent to his winning height at Wembley and gin better than the Empire record established by the South African, E. T. Thacker, at the Empire Games in Sydney in 1938. Winter also broke the New Zealand record of 6ft sin, which was established by V. Perasalo, of Finland, at Auckland during a tour of the Dominion in 1935.

In this event, J. H. Borland, the Otagoi University and New Zealand champion, who was, beaten out of second place on a count back, cleared 6ft sin. This was the best performance of a New Zealander to date, being ljin higher than the figures Borland established at Christchurch two years ago. It was a remarkable effort for a man whose own height is only sft Bin.'

Duncan White, the Ceylonese athlete, who finished second to Roy Cochrane, of the United States, in the Olympic event, recorded new Empire figures for the 440 Yards Hurdles when. he won his heat in 52.8 sec. This was O.lsec faster than the record established at Sydney in 1938 by the famous Canadian Olympic athlete, John Loaring. White’s time was better than the officially-recorded Dominion record which stands to the credit of J. M. Holland at 53.8 sec, but Holland has a performance of 52.65ec established at the recent New Zealand championships awaiting recognition. Holland’s time of 53sec in the second heat was also faster than the officially listed mark. These new records were all approved bv the referee, Mr A. C. Kitto. Several other athletes, in winning their heats, achieved times that were better than the former Empire records.

At Sydney in 1938 it was the Olympic distance runner. C. H. Matthews, who first brought New Zealand’s flag to the masthead when he won the Three Miles. It was W. H. Nelson, an Olympic distance man of another decade, who gave New Zealand its first victory at this festival, and incidentally was the first athlete to mount the victory stand. Nelson’s victory by a good 20 yards in 30min 29.65ec was accomplished after he had run one of the greatest tactical races of his brilliant career. His time was only 15.1 sec outside Matthews’s Empire record. Other winners on Saturday were J. F. Treloar, Australia’s brilliant Olympic sprinter, 100 Yards, 9.7 sec; Marjorie Jackson (Australia), JOO Yards • (women), 10.8 sec; John Winter (Australia), High Jump, 6ft 6in. In (the finals decided Australia has been! the most successful country with three first placings, two seconds and one third. New Zealand has a first and a third; Scotland, two seconds (one of them a tie); Nigeria, a tie for second; and Canada, one third. The day was made for breaking records. Before the athletic programme began a high wind died practically to a dead calm. The weather was very warm and the track hard and very fast. Soon after noon the terraces were packed, and as the time for the opening ceremony approached the crowd had swelled to about 40,000. One of the most amusing sights was the provision of several “Scotchmen’s grandstands” in properly-constructed, tiered seating in the backyards of adjacent residents. Photo-finish apparatus was installed at the finish of the 100 yards and circular track races. The races were usually so- close that this was called into use on many occasions.