BRITAIN’S OLYMPIC TEAM

Taranaki Daily News, 11 August 1932, Page 10

BRITAIN’S OLYMPIC TEAM

HARD TIMES LIMIT SELECTION. \ ” |> II «■ FORECASTS NOT TOO HOPEFUL. (From Our Own Correspondent.) London, June 23. The American authorities have made lavish preparations for the .Olympi 0 Games at Los Angeles, and it is untoitunate that, owing to the economic crisis, the gathering of the world s champion athletes may be smaller' tfiau usual. This, however, is inevitable, it was doubtful at one time whether it would be possible to send more than a skeleton British team. But, by ■ the strictest economy, arrangements have been made to send sixty-one competitors as compared with the 234 who went to Amsterdam for the Games of four years ago. In this team will be women, who will compete for the first time. Every person who goes to Los will cost £l5O, so that about £lO,OOO has to bo provided. Although the British team will be exceptionally small, jt will be thoroughly representive. In the athletic section there will be seventeen, and it was suggested by the southern championships, which have just been held, that the prospects are favourable. I think G. L. Rampling, a yomig Artillery officer, is the chief hope. In his two heats iu the quarter his head turned this way and that watching his rivals in the rear, and he won the final just as easily in 49 2-ss. He is undoubtedly a great runner. So far as the sprinters are concerned, the defeat of the champion, E. L. Page, was a little surprising. His conqueror was J, C. Heap, who ran in the Games at Amsterdam in 1925, and he equalled the English record of 9 4-55.. outstanding performance wa?> by v- • Saunders, a Polytechnic sprinter. WJuie running in his heat a thigh muscle ga>c way at 35 yards. He managed to limp to the tape and it was then announced that he had returned 10s. dead. What would have been his time if be had not broken down? I think he would at least I have equalled E. IL Liddell’s British I record of 9 7-10 s. Saunders was unable to take part iii the final, but it is hoped .[that he will be abl« to go (o -