SYDNEY STUDENT OUTCLASSES WORLD’S 440 YARD CHAMPION

Wanganui Chronicle, 17 January 1949, Page 5

SYDNEY STUDENT OUTCLASSES WORLD’S 440 YARD CHAMPION

SYDNEY, Jan. .16 (Recd. 6.30, pm).—Running into driving rain and a gale at the Sydney Cricket Ground, a Sydney University medical student, 2()-year-oId Edwin Carr, completely outcassed the world’s 440 yard record holder, the Jamaican Herb McKenley, to win the Australian 440 yard championship. He was four yards ahead of McKenley, with the tit'e-holder, John Bartram (Victoria) third. Th e time was 48secs. After the race McKenley embraced Carr and said: “It is the greatest quarter-mile run I have ever seen. It was equal to 47 seconds on a good track." McKenley’s world record time is 43.6 sees. and Morris Curotta’s Australian record is 47.6 secs. Veterans could not recall the race being run under such weather conditions. The storm broke as the contestants lined up and rain pelted down as they left the starting blocks. The runners could not be distinguished as they turned into the back stretch, except when a vivid flash of lightning lit up the scene. McKen’iey led by eight yards as they turned into the straight, but Carr unleashed a terrific finishing burst. Thirty yards from the tape McKenley and Carr were abreast, but after that the Australian pulled away with every stride. Though left at the start in the Australian 100 yards fina’, Lloyd La Beach (Panama) went on to win in a stirring finish. He beat John Bartram (Victoria) by a yard, with E. Strickland (New South Wales) third- The time was 9.Bsec.