ATHLETES OF THE NATIONS

Sun (Auckland), Volume II, Issue 419, 30 July 1928, Page 9

ATHLETES OF THE NATIONS

HISTORIC OLYMPIC GAMES BEGIN OPENING CEREMONY OF RARE PAGEANTRY FIRST EVENTS CONTESTED YESTERDAY (United P.A. — By Telegraph — Copm'ight) (Australian and N.Z. Press Association) (United Service) Received, noon. AMSTERDAM, Sunday. RESPITE ideal weather, there were many vacant spaces If round the arena at the Olympic Games. The crowd was singularly quiet. The only electrifying spurt was when Nurmi beat Ritola, arousing real enthusiasm. The track was greatly improved as a result of the soaking rain, followed by bright sunshine.

A high drying wind blew across the high stadium walls blocking its force. Lord Burghley was an easy winner of the first heat of the 400 metres hurdles, and broke the first tape for the Empire. The splendid performances of the South Africans and Cana-

dians made Lord Burghley’s performance look a good omen for subsequent British successes. Australia made a disastrous start. Watson limped home in the 400 metres hurdles. Carlton was beaten into fourth place in the second round of the 100 metres. Whyte was comfortably beaten, and Stuart was a hopeless last in the 800 metres.

Hyde’s leg was too bad to allow him to start in the 10,000 metres. The Canadian sprinter, Williams, recorded such an outstanding performance in the 100 metres flat, equalling Abrahams’s 1924 winning time, as to raise high hopes again of withholding the race from America. Otherwise an uneventful day ended in a glorious 10,000 metres, in which the “Phantom Finn,” as the Americans call Nurmi, broke the Olympic record.

MAJESTIC PARADE

ATHLETES FILE PAST A MEMORABLE CEREMONY (United P.A.—By Telegraph. — Copyright) (Australian Press Association) AMSTERDAM, Sunday. The Prince Consort, Prince Hendrik, in the name of Queen Wilhelmina, performed the opening ceremony, in the presence of a brilliant suite. The sun was shining gloriously as he took the salute to the strains of the Dutch National Anthem. Tumultuous cheers followed, and then the majestic parade of the athletes began. The flower of the world’s manhood and womanhood filed past tfle Royal box, to take up the allotted positions. Greece, by virtue of having inaugurated the games, headed the procession* and the other nations followed in alphabetical order. The teams, each behind its country’s flag, took up positions facing the Royal box. The international and executive committees formed a semicircle in front of the grandstand. Every word of> the speeches was audible as the president of the games, Dr. de Visser, and the president of the executive council, Baron Schimmelpennink van der Oye,•spoke. The brilliant pageantry of the ceremony strikingly illustrated the worldwide growth of sport. The packed crowds in the stadium applauded for an hour the long procession of the world’s athletic armies, from solitary Panama, whose standard was borne by a Boy Scout, to the battalions of Holland, America and'Germany. The appearance of every division of the British Empire was warmly cheered. MEMORABLE SPECTACLE

From the moment when the Greek flag signalised the entry of a body of extremely up-to-date young men as the upholders of a sporting tradition now centuries old, until the last Netherlander proudly saluted the Prince Consort, the 40,000 spectators received a lesson, not only in the universality of sport, but in the geography of the lesser-known European countries, whose names are involuntarily associated in the English-speaking mind with the plots of musical comedies, but who sent a surprisingly strong representation 045o 45 upstanding men and women.

FIRST DAY’S RESULTS

NEW SHOT-PUT RECORD QUALIFYING HEATS (Australian and N.Z. Press Association.) (United Service) Reed. 9.50, a.m. LONDON, Sunday. Olympic results are as follow:100 Metres Flat. —First round (first and second to qualify).—First heat: Fitzpatrick (Canada), 1; Corts (Germany), 2. Second heat: Atkinson (South Africa), 1; Mourlon (France), 2. Third heat: "Wykoff (United States), 1; Brochart (Belgium), 2. Fourth heat: Gero (Hungary), 1; Durham (South Africa), 2. Fifth heat: London (Britain), 1; Hester (Canada) 2. Sixth hedt: Pina (Argentine), 1; Adams (Canada), 2. Seventh heat: Legg (South Africa), 1; Gill (Britain), 2. Eighth heat; Houben (Germany), 1; Viljoen (South Africa) ,2. Ninth heat: Lammers (Germany), 1; Theard (Haiti), 2. Tenth heat: Rangely (Britain), 1; Vandeberge (Holland), 2. Eleventh heat: Raggamdi (Hungary), 1; Carlton (Australia), 2; won by a foot in llsec. Twelfth heat: Williams (Canada), 1; Vykoupil (Czecho-Slovakia), 2. Thirteenth heat: Barrientos (Cuba), 1; Yerbonney (France), 2. Fourteenth heat: Bracey (United States), i; Auvergnes (France), 2. Fifteenth heat: Russell

(United States), 1; Cussen (.Ireland), 2. Sixteenth heat: McCallister (United States), 1; Gonzaga (Philippines), 2. London, Lammers aud McCallister did the best time of 10 4-5 secs.

Quarter-final (first and second qualify). —First heat: Legg. 1: Fitzpatrick, 2. Second heat: McAllister, 1; Corts, 2. Third heat: Russell, 1; Houben, 2. Time, 10 3-ssec, which equals the world’s record. Fourth heat: Williams, 1; London. 2. Time, 10 3-ssec, the same as the world’s record. Fifth heat: Wykoff, 1; Pina. 2. Time, 10 4-ssec. Carlton (Australia) was fourth. He was beaten by inches. Sixth heat: Bracey, 1; Lammer, 2.

400 Metres Hurdles. —First round (first and second to qualify). —First heat: Burghley (Britain), 1; Maxwell (United States), 2. Second heat: Gibson (United States), 1; Chauncey (Britain), 2. Third heat: Viel (France), 1; Learmouth (Britain), 2. Watson (Australia) started despite his lameness, and limped in last. Fourth heat: Taylor (United States), 1; Wilson (Finland), 2. Fifth heat: Petterson (Sweden), 1; Kostrewski (Poland), 2. Sixth heat: Cuhel (United States), 1; Facelli (Italy), 2.

Cuhol put up the best time of 54 3-5 secs.

Semi-finals (three qualify).—Cuhel, 1; Learmouth, 2; Facelli, 3; Petterson, 4. Time, 54sec. Taylor, 1; Cuhel, 2; Burghley, 3. Time, 5o 2-ssec. Putting - the - Shot, Final. Kuck (United States), 52ft and 11-16 of an inch, 1; Brix (United States), 51ft 7 7-Bin, 2; Mirschfeld (Germany), 51ft fin, 3. Kuck • broke the world’s record and the others the Olympic record. 800 Metres. —Quarter-finals (first three qualify).—First race: Wilyon (Canada), 1; Byhlor (Sweden), 2; Sitting (United States), 8. Second race: O. Peltzer (Germany), 1; Little (Canada), 2; Nathan (Britain), 3. Time, lmin 57 2-ssec. The Australian Whyte was fourth. Third race: Keller (France), 1; Martin (Switzerland), 2; Watson (United States), 3. Fourth race: Baraton (France), 1; Fuller (United States), 2; Strand (Norway), 3. Fifth race: Hahn (United States), 1; Engolhardy (Germany), 2; Sindler (Czecho-Slovakia), 3. Time, lmin. 56 4-ssec. The Australian Stuart was a bad last. Sixth race: Dengra (Argentine), 1; Lowe (Britain), 2; Cominotti (Italy), 3. Seventh heat: Martin (France), 1;