OLYMPIC GAMES.

Wanganui Chronicle, Volume LXXXI, Issue 19050, 1 July 1924, Page 6

OLYMPIC GAMES.

COLOMBES STADIUM. AUSTRALIA’S CHANCES WORLD’S ATHLETES PREPARE. Just as the great Wembley stands to-day for the industry and commerce of the Empire, so does the Colombes Stadium at Paris stand for the sport and field games of the nations of the world, writes Trevor Smith in the Auckland Star. Here the pick of the Dominion athletes will take their place alongside the best of the rest of the world, in one of the world’s finest stadiums, and on July 5 our thirty-six representatives of Australia and New Zea land will march around the arena with the eyes of all nations upon them. It may be said/that the 1924 Olympic Games represent the first grade meeting of the best of the world’s athletes for well over a decade. True, four years ago the Olympic Games were revived at Antwerp, but the athlete had not yet unshouldered his rifle. There were the great service meetings, too, but here not all the nations could compete. To-day the -world’s sportsmen are a new generation—few of the men who will go to Colombes will have known the scars of war. Perhaps England’s representation will be somewhat restricted. The difficult days following the war are calling upon the brains of her manhood —the grand days of the athletic field have not yet come back to her. The other nations — Australia, America, France,, the Scandinavians, the rest of the Europeans—will have their most formidable athletes in the field. It seems that there will be an atmosphere of great reunion about the Paris gathering; it will be a worthy celebration for the grand revival of the centuries-old Olympiad. The Colombes Stadium represents one of the finest strongholds for a sporting festival that the world has known. It is nothing less than a small village in its entirety. Actually Colombes starts about nine miles from the main stadium. Here from the heart of Paris runs a new tube railway built especially for linking up the Stadium with the city. A new electric tram service runs from the tube right to the Stadium entrance. Colombes Stadium, when completed six -weeks hence, will have among its features a race track proper, training track, swimming bath, hospital, restaurants, rest huts, hairdressing saloons, and shops. The running track proper is 500 metres in length, there -being a straight course to the finish post of about 150 metres. The track, which is well matured, has a splendid surface of red ash. and already fast times have been done on it in training. This is the track in which Australians are keenly concerned, for here their champion, E. W. Carr, will toe the mark. From what I have seen of this track and know of Carr’s running, it should be entirely to his liking. The experts agree that this is an honest track, and one that should suit the champion punners.

Perhaps, above all, Australians will watch the’ swimming bath. This I have seen, too., and if “Boy” Charlton can adapt himself to fresh water I think the bath should suit him. It is a standard concrete bath 50 metres in length, 18 metres wide, 5 metres 25 centimetres deep at one end, and 1 metres deep at the other. The young champion will need to w r atch veify closely the shallow end. He may be in difficulties with his long arms and sweeping strokes with only 37 jnchs of water underneath, and he must -watch his turning. His stout heart and splendid physique, however should win through for him. The bath is two floors above the ground level, being in the middle of a roof garden. It is in the open with the sunshine pouring down on to the picturesque surroundings of greenery. There are elaborate dressing and training rooms. Throughout the Stadium there are excMlent training quarters. All the offices and dressing rooms are under the principal stand, “Tribune d’Hon-

neur.” On the left is a large halt which is to be the assembly place foi the athletes. For the President of France anc the Government representatives then is a special stand opposite the finishing post of the track events. The public will be accommodated or stands on each side of the arena. There is a special stand exclusively for pressmen, in which accommodation is provided for 1200 representatives. The Press from all over the world are sending special representatives, one Japanese proprietary alone having three men. Accommodation for practically all of the competitors has been arranged in hotels around Paris, but a live in huts in the Stadium. jjThe Australians* quarters, the Hotel Normandy, is near the Louvre, in the heart of Paris. It is a journey of twenty-five minutes from here to the Stadium. The French Government has taken over 7 per cent, of all hotel accommodation in Paris, and has arranged for special concessions of tariff. It is yet too early to discuss at length the prospects of the Australian team. Charlton’s and Carr’s fame are. of course, world-wide, and English and Continental sportsmen expect them and the Australian swimming team to reach the finals. One hears little in London or Paris of America’s plans. As usual the States will have the biggest representation, but whether such of their men of fame as Paddock, Kahanamoku, Tilden and Weismuller will definitely come does not seem to bo known.

Liddell, England’s great sprint runner, will probably not compete. He is a theological student, and does not desire to participate since some of the sprint events are on the Sunday programmes. Like nil the close-at-hand nations, England’s full representation will not be decided upon until the middle of May. The Paris weather in June and July is generally bright and warm. Our team should have practically a New South Wales spring in which to train and race—perfect conditions —and if they keep in good health and strike their best form, will no doubt be iecfl at their best.