ATHLETICS

Southland Times, Issue 20615, 13 October 1928, Page 18 (Supplement)

ATHLETICS

THE OLYMPIC GAMES EMPIRE’S FINE ACHIEVEMENT. EXCITING FINISHES. London, August M. Members of the Empire Olympic teams who have been competing in the purely athletic events have returned to London well pleased with their performance. The series of British victories began on the first day, and was continued almost to the last. Of the running events the Empire won five, and had three men placed second and two third. Great Britain's share was two firsts, two seconds, and a third. The opening race, the 100 metres, was won by P. Williams, for Canada, with J. E. London, Great Britain, second. This was quickly followed by two other fine wins—Lord Burghley’s in the 400 metres hurdle race and D. G. A. Lowe’s in the 800 metres; Lord Burghley’s time equalled, and Lowe's beat, the previous Olympic record. Lowe also secured the distinction of being the first Olympic athlete who has won an event in two consecutive meetings. The next British victory was in the 110 metres hurdle race, won by S. J. M. Atkinson in 14 4-ssec. —another Olympic record which had been equalled by his fellow-South African, G. C. Weightman-Smith, in one of the preliminary heats. Finally, the young Canadian, P. Williams, added to his triumph in the 100 metres race by winning the 200 metres in 21 4-ssec., with W. R. Rangely, of Great Britain, a close second. ONE UNHAPPY INCIDENT. There appears to have been only one unhappy incident, throughout the Games. This was on the first day, when the French team refused to take part in the opening parade. It appears that their absence was due to a misunderstanding with the gatekeeper, who had refused to admit them to the stadium on the day before the Games began. A heated argument took place, and the gatekeeper, it is stated, struck the secretary of the French team in the face. It was thought the incident had been closed by an apology from the Netherlands Olympic Committee, but when the Frenchmen arrived on the Saturday the same gatekeeper was on duty, and persisted in his refusal to admit them. As a protest the French team declined to take their place in the parade, and pointed out that the German team were allowed in the stadium on the Friday, while they were refused. The team regarded this as a gross insult, and the French Committee consulted the French Minister to the Neth erlands on the matter. It was decided that the French team would participate in the Games, while it was also announced that the gatekeeper who had struck the French secretary had been removed from his post. Five minutes after the opening ceremony the parade of competitors began, and there were thunders of applause as the pick of the world’s athletes filed past the Royal box, headed by the Greek contingent, and followed by the other countries in alphabetical order across the emerald green turf that gave quite an English setting to an impressive scene, to take the picturesque oath of the Olympic Games. Perhaps the prettiest incident of the proceedings was the release of pigeons, each having a ribbon bearing the colours of one of the competing nations round its neck, and the cheering was renewed as the birds rose in the air and fluttered over the stadium. Great Britain and the Dominions received a great ovation as the team marched round, headed by M. C. Nokes carrying the British flag. The opening ceremony lasted just over an hour. Germany, the United States, and Holland had the largest contingents, while Haiti had a solitary representative. Cyclist R. W. Lamb, of Victoria, threatens to become a serious rival to Opperman. He brought off a fine double recently with fastest time from scratch, in the 105 miles road race from Wonthaggi to Melbourne (shr 29min 34sec) and the 100 miles championship of Victoria (shr 17min 42sec). Since turning professional, Lamb has ridden in four road race® and has made fastest time in ail of them.