“ANOTHER NURMI”

Waikato Times, Volume 122, Issue 20421, 11 February 1938, Page 8

“ANOTHER NURMI”

MATTHEWS PRAISED POSSIBLY HIS LAST SIX MILES PROTEST OYER SIX MILES EVENT United Press ■ Assn.—Elec. Tel. Copyright (Received Feb. 11, 2 p.m.) SYDNEY. Feb. 1 1 Eulogistic comments of the performance of C. H. Matthews in the six-mile event at the Empire Games, yesterday are contained in press comment. The manger of the Canadian Empire Games team, Mr R. Robinson, described Matthews as “another Nurmi." The Daily Telegraph says Matthews yesterday ran his first six miles track race and probably his last. The Telegraph quotes Matthews as saying: “It's a silly distance. 1 don't mean it is an exhausting race in fact it is much easier than two or .three miles, but. it Is the monotony that gets you—just running round and round a little track with nothing to see but a long line of faces on the fence. At times yesterday I got so bored that I began to wish someone would scoot out and set up a big lead just to make it a little more interesting. Over the last mile it wasn't so bad as I was putting all I knew into it then, and seeing how many of the stragglers I could lap. The cheers of the crowd helped a lot at this stage." Elbowing Alleged The referee, Mr Langford, said that he had not investigated any suggestion of elbowing by Coleman in the six miles race. Stanford (Trinidad), who dropped out of the rac.e after covering one and a-half miles, alleged that he was so badly elbowed by Coleman (South Africa), that it was impossible for him to continue. It is understood that the manager of the Trinidad teajji has lodged a protest in writing against certain incidents in the race.

Weatherill (England), was prominent early in the six miles race but dropped back to fourth after three miles. Geddes (New Zealand) passed him when commencing the last two miles. After the placed men came home the remainder of the field finished at long intervals, Geddes being fourth, a hundred yards ahead of Weatherill, who was very tired. SECTIONAL TIMES PRESS COMMENTS A SENSATIONAL RACE (Received Feb. 11, 2 p.m.) SYDNEY, Feb. 11 The sectional times for the six miles event were as follows: One mile, 4m. 46.55; two miles, 9m. 55.45; three miles, 15m. 11.45; four miles 20m. 17s; five miles, 25m. 27.65. The last mile took only 4.46-.95. Ward (England) tried to go on with Matthews when commencing the last mile, but he soon fell back beaten. It was learnt later that he struck a running board inside the edge of the track with his left foot, with the result that last night his ankle was badly swollen. The Herald says the six miles event was a sensational race, in which Matthews repeated his triumph in the three miles event and J. Coleman (South Africa) the winner of the marathon. was disqualified. The jostling and hard tactics during the first half of the race marred the event as a sporting spectacle, hut Matthews’ lovely even action and grand performance made the spectators forget the earlier unpleasant incidents. Matthews had the race won with two laps to go. He would have had to drop dead to lose it. Champion of Stamina “ Matthews, indeed, seems t.o be of the Nurmi school—one of those indomitable men who know not the ravages of human strain or difficulties of distance. Against a man of such mould no other competitor had a chance. Matthews thoroughly earned the title of the British Empire's champion of stamina," adds the Herald. TABLE OF POINTS

AUSTRALIA IN THE LEAD NEW ZEALAND NOW FOURTH Unt:ed press Assn.—Elec. Tel. Copyright (Received Feb. 12. 2.30 p.m.) SYDNEY, Feb.’ll Australia now leads in the unofficial table of points for all etents at the Empire Games which, to-day, is as follows: Points Australia 367 'Canada 248 England 202 South Africa 125 New Zealand 110 Scotland 26 Wales has gained points for athletic, boxing and swimming events, while British Guiana has points for swimming; Ceylon for athletics and boxing; Rhodesia for bowls and boxing; Northern Ireland for bowls, and Fiji for bowls. New Zealand who scored the most points in the bowls contests is fourth in the athletic and wrestling tables, but her representatives scored very few points in the swimming, boxing and cycling events.