BRILLIANT AUSTRALIAN’S FEAT AT GAMES

Otago Daily Times, Issue 27311, 10 February 1950, Page 8

BRILLIANT AUSTRALIAN’S FEAT AT GAMES

WORLD RECORDS EQUALLED

Phenomenal Double In Sprints

MISS MARJORIE JACKSON

From the Sports Editor

AUCKLAND, Feb. 9. The breaking of records, which has become almost commonplace at the Empire Games during the week, continued at Eden Park today, when the third session of the athletics section was held in warm, dull weather. The conditions were ideal for record-breaking. The track was hard and fast, and there was not a breath of wind. Australia again “ scooped the pool ” in the short distance events. Miss M. Jackson and Miss Shirley Strickland filled first and second places in the 220 Yards Women’s final, and Miss Strickland also won the 80 Metres Hurdles. Miss Jackson equalled the world record for the 220 Yards in 24.35ec, which was set in 1935. This is the second world record she has equalled at the Games. The first was in the 100 Yards, in which she twice returned the time of 10.8 sec, set by Mrs Fanny Blankers-Koen in 1944. In the open events, J. Treloar and D. Johnson were first and second in the 100 Yards. P. Gardner and R. Weinberg filled the major places in the 120 Yards Hurdles, and B. Oliver and C. McKeand were first and second in the Hop, Step, and Jump. Mrs C. Mac Gibbon won the Javelin Throw. Again there was reason for complaint in the late running of the programme. The last event, the semi-finals of the 440 Yards, timed to start at 4.35 p.m., was not finished by 5.15 p.m., and the 80 Metres Hurdles, set down for 3.55 p.m., was run more than an hour behind schedule.

The programme opened in sensational manner with Marjorie Jackson’s brilliant win, which equalled the world’s record made by S. Walasiewiez, of Poland. Miss Strickland, in finishing second in 24.55ec, equalled , the Empire record time made by Decima Norman at Sydney in 1938. In the first heat of the 80 Metres Hurdles. Miss Strickland, J. Schoch (New Zealand) and J. Shackleton (New Zealand), all beat the Empire record of 11.7 sec made by G. B. Bourke at Sydney in 1938. In the second heat. Noeline Gourlay (New Zealand) returned 11.5 sec. In the Women’s Javelin, C. McGibbon also established new Empire figures with a throw of 127 ft 51m, displacing the record of 125 ft 71in made by G. R. Higgins at Sydney in 1938. Won After Breaking Marjorie Jackson justified her right to be classed as Australia’s greatest woman sprinter of all time when she won the 220 Yards. She made her

the Empire Games record of 14.6 sec made by Lord Burghley in 1930. The final provided a most exciting race, and another fine exhibition of hurdling. Gardner, who was the second string to Weinberg, caused a surprise by winning by one yard from his team-mate, with Lavery (South Africa) two yards away in front of Finlay, Smith and Holland. In winning, Gardner improved on any past performance at the Games.

Edwin Carr (Australia), making his first appearance at the Games, was not fully extended to win the first heat ot the 440 Yards from D. C. Pugh ‘England) and D.R. Batten (New Zealand), in the second heat, L. C. Lewis ‘England), S. J. Humphreys (Australia), and J. Sutherland (New Zealand) could have improved upon the 48.8 sec registered by Lewis. Several scratchings reduced the field. In the third heat, Booysen (bouth Africa) was giving away ground at the entrance to the straight, but he came through to win comfortably from T. L. Higgins (England), R. E. Price (Australia), and J. G- Myles (New Zealand). Booysen was later disqualified for running inside the line marked out for him, and this enabled Myles, who was outclassed, to qualify m a field of four for tile semi-finals. The semi-finals were run in much the same manner as the heats. While Carr and Sutherland w6n, Lewis and Batten in the first heat, and Price and Pugh in the second, were content to fill the minor places.

Although he registered only 49.25ec, the form of Sutherland, the Technical runner, was encouraging. He did not appear to find the speed as soon as some of the others, and he was giving away ground at the straight entrance. He held the other pair, Price and Pugh, in the run home, and will start in the final.

Batten gave a glimpse of form in this race and his disappointing showing in the 220 Yards earlier at the meeting is hard to understand. The final looks like being a great race between Carr. Batten, Lewis, Price, Pugh and Sutherland.

Eyre Shows Out

In the first heat of the mile, the English representative, L. Eyre, showed rate judgment in his fast sprint over. the last furlong. A. M. Sompala (Ceylon), J. L. Marks (Australia) and J. D. Sinclair (New Zealand) all did their share of pacemaking until a furlong from home, when J. W. Hitchins (Canada) caused excitement by jumping the field and streaking away to a 10 yard lead. Marks set out after him, and Sinclair also moved up. Eyre shot to the frontin the straight and won nicely from Marks and Sinclair, with Hutchins fourth.

first mistake of the meeting when she broke at the start of the first heat. Usually Miss Jackson is the coolest sprinter it would be possible to find. She is so quick out of the holes that she has confidence in her powers to concede a yard start. Once the field was on the journey, Miss Jackson shot away. Running round the turn, she gained a slight advantage, and straightening up for the straight run she was 2 yards in front. She never appeared to be struggling and her long, even stride and perfect balance carried her to the tape o.ssec in front of Miss Strickland, with the South African, D. Robb, in third place.

Eyre looks a probable winner of the final, although today his 4min 19.2 sec did not compare well with the 4min 15.4 sec registered by C. W. Parnell in the'second heat. Eyre, however, went just as fast as his opponents asked him to go. He had plenty in reserve and he holds a mile record of 4min 12sec.

Sinclair, who finished third, did not disappoint, and he mayjlo better next time out.

Close Finish

Treloar’s Double

John Treloar (Australia) confirmed his claim to be the finest sprinter at the Games by winning the 220 Yards final. The Wellington junior, Don Jowett, however, who was so close to the second man, D. Johnston (Australia) that'•only the camera could separate the pair, made a pleasing showing. Each was credited with 21.8 sec.

The value of the camera in deciding a close finish was shown in the first heat of the Women’s 80 Metres Hurdles. The finish was so close that the judges could not separate Shirley Strickland from the two New Zealanders, J. Schoch and J. Shackleton. The timekeepers recorded 11.4 sec against each of the place-getters. The second heat saw the Otago hurdler. Noeline Gourlay, at her best. After a grand display of clean hurdling, she won in 11.5 sec from D. Fletcher (New Zealand) and A. Stalder (Australia).

As at Christchurch, when he represented Wellington against Canterbury a few weeks ago, Jowett showed himself to be more at home over the furlong than 100 yards. He looks a good prospect to represent New Zealand at the next Olympic Games. Johnson (Australia) is also promising, as he is still a schoolboy at Woollongong, New South Wales.

The final was a repetition of the first heat. After a great race, in which Strickland, Schoch, and Shackleton raced stride for stride over all the hurdles, Miss Strickland had something in reserve for

Record Hurdling

the last dash for the tape and won from Schoch.

The two heats of the 120 Yards Hurdles produced good displays. R. H. Weinberg and P. J. Gardner, both of Australia, won their heats, it appeared that D. O. Finlay, the English veteran, and J. M. Holland, the New Zealand champion, in the first heat—and T. Lavery (South Africa) and L. R. Smith (New Zealand) in the second —were quite content merely to qualify for the final, but the winners’ times—14.4sec and 14.5 sec—were better than

This time the first and second runners clocked 11.6 sec, and Miss Shackleton (third) 11.7 sec. . Fiji’s First Win

The greatest interest was taken in the Shot Putt, the field for which included the Fijian star, Tuicakau, whom most present hoped would win. The well-built Islander put the shot 48ft 01 in and enrolled his country for the

first time as a winner of an Empire title.

The big fellow looked a picture when he stood on the pedestal and received his medal, the congratulations of the chairman of the Empire Games Federation, and rounds of applause for a hero in the small Fijian team. The nearest approach to Tuicakau’s distance was 45ft Bin by H. E. Moody, a coloured athlete representing England. Douglas Herman, of Christchurch, threw 44ft, his best to date. B. Oliver (Australia) added to his country’s host of victories when he jumped 51ft 21in in his final attempt in the Hop, Step and Jump. McKeand, another Australian, returned more than a foot less. Oliver’s jump was just short of the Games record of 51ft made by J. P. Metcalfe in London in 1934, Otago Girl Second The Otago representative, Yvette Williams, improved on her previous best- when she threw the javelin 124 ft 6£in, but she had to be content with

second place behind the Australian champion, C. Mac Gibbon, the mother of two children. Her 127 ft siin broke the previous Games record of 125 ft 7iin made by Miss R. Biggins at Sydney in 1938.