OLYMPIC GAMES

Poverty Bay Herald, Volume LIII, Issue 16243, 18 January 1927, Page 2

OLYMPIC GAMES

MOVEMENT IN N.Z. DOMINION-WIDE SUPPORT NEEDED An interesting visitor to 1 Gisborne today was Mr. P. N. Rundle, chairman of the council of the Olympic Games Association of New Zealand, who, from being himself an athlete, having participated in almost every branch of sport, has become prominently associated with the administrative side of sport. In an interesting interview- with a Herald reporter to-day Mr. Bundle traced the history of the Olympic Games from their inception nearly 800 years before Christ, oxer the period of inactivity from 093 A.D. to their revival in 1696, and concluded by emphasising the great hold which the movement had taken on Britain to-day. As far as New Zealand was concerned, Mr Rundle said that the association -wanted the wholehearted and enthusiastic support of the sporting bodies and the publio throughout the Dominion He felt that, everv individual in New Zealand was interested in some way in athletic pastimes, particularly in international sport .and nowhere was it more important for "New Zealand to be represented than at the Olympic Games. The association in New Zealand had languished for some years, but had now taken a new lease of life, and it was aimed to make it the most important factor in sporting life in the country. Ihe association had been remodelled on the lines of the British Games Association. which to-day was one of the strongest bodies in the world. HISTORY OF THE GAMES.

"The Olympic Games.'" continued Mr. Handle, "were started in 776 8.C., and were continued until 393 A.D... a space of over 1000 years. They were continued regularly over that period; then thev seemed to lapse, and no trace of them being held can be found until Count Pierre de Coubertjn, a prominent French nobleman, revived them in 1896, •when the first series was happily enough held at Athens, Since then the Olympic Games have been held regularly every four years in different countries, there has been an extraordinary growth in the movement since the games in- 1896: at thfr first of the modern series only a few of the nations participated, but at the last games in 1924 tlwre were 45 countries represented. * "It is noticeable how the growth of the true spirit of sportsmanship seems to follow the development of the games. 'Of course, the British nation and its Dominions have understood the meaning of sportsmanship more than any other nation, but the sports liave had the E- a Tct of bringing that spirit to a great ny ©f the other countries, who per.3B had not possessed a great deal oi trrie sportsmanship." PROMOTION OF GAMES. •

Continuing. Mr. Bundle" remarked ' that a prominent member of the British council once said: "Every effort should be made to promote the playing of out national games and general efficiency in athletics and sport. Nothing tendts wore to develop those traits in British character by which we set great store, and nothing more strengthens habits of brisk alert vigor alike in work and play." In regard lo the British Olympic Association, the visitor said that Great Britain for many years was represented ' at the games, but their organisation was very incomplete, the usual difficulty in regard to finances was always felt, representation was limited owing to this question, and there was the usual 1 eleventh-hour rush to decide who could be sent to the games. However, of late 1 years, before the 1924 Olympiad, a strong committee was formed, the chairman of which was Earl Cadogan. The King was the patron, while the Prince 'of Wales. Prince Henry, and Prince ,- George were vice-presidents, and a partiI cularly keen interest was shown by the I Koyaf family in the activity of the association. MOST INFLUENTIAL BODY. "Public men throughout Great H Britain," said Mr. Bundle, "took up the movement with enthusiasm, and as a result of the support thus given, the I British - Olympic Uames As*sociation is to-day - probably the most influential • sporting body iu the Empire. As an ittstarMe' of the efficiency of the organisation the sum of £27,186 was subscribed to the association in the two years prior to the 1924 Games. As a result Great

I Britain was well rep*esented at Paris, I and some great successes were achieved. I The British Olympic Association is helpI,,'ing the ditlerent sporting bodies by givI ing grants of money for the purpose of I developing athletics, and encouraging ■'sport in the country; it follows that the ■ 'standard must be raised, and it will be I seen that Great Britain is once more ■ going to wrest supremacy in (sport from ■ 'America. H "Obming, to our own country, I can H jay that we have the material in New H Zealand. It has already been shown I that we possess athletes, boxers, rowers, Hand footballers who can hold their own I with the world's best, but we -Mnnot lexpect to achieve success unless we I adopt modern methods of attention to I training. We cannot expect our repreHsentatives to give of their best it we ■ rush them to the games at the last Hmoinent without giving them a chance to Hbecome .acclimatised «nd striking form. I.Too often have we had to do this, with Bths result thai our representatives have Hnot been able to do justice to themselves ■or the country they represent. Even so, ■under these disadvantages the small but Hjielect teams going from this Dominion ■have performed exceedingly well, and ■have demonstrated that New Zealand Hbis athletes capable of extending the HwoHd'.-. best." H . N.Z. COUNCIL'S ATMS. , I The desire of- the New Zealand Conn-B-ii. continued Mr. Bundle, was to have Hlisirict woneils in all the important luwns and centres. Such district coun■ls would develop the Olympic ideals, and Hosier public interest not only in the Barnes themselves, but also in amateur Hp.'it generally. "We desire to be well at Amsterdam in 192&," he "The Premier, Mr. .T. *G. Hoates, is our president, and weare tryHig to promote the spirit in New Zca-. Hud, and put the Olympic- Oames on an Hsm-ed and sound basis, fiisborne has ■wiVf* been a good supporter, of the Hiincil in the past—in fact it has been H;e of the best centres in New Zealand, Hd we have always felt pleased at the Banner uj which Gisborne has come forH») to render assistance." ■ —ip—m**——■