OUTSTANDING ATHLETES

Chronicle (Levin), 17 September 1946, Page 6

OUTSTANDING ATHLETES

THE EUROPEAN GAMES The European Games held at Oslo recently were inadequately reported iu New Zealand. A great fuss was made over the victory oi S. ('. Woodersou in the 500U metres race, in time second only to that returned by Gundar Ilaegg iu .1942. ({ranted that Woodersou 's timo of 14min 8.6 see is the second to ftistest 500U luelres ever ruu by any- . one other than Ilaegg, granted that it was a wonderful performance for a man oi" Woodersou 's age. But 1 do not think- that performance was as good as at least three others at the meeting, w rites "Cyprian." Neither of these two ruus was mentioned iu the calde messages other tlian in the stateiuent of the bare result. The man who won the 1300 metres rau tlie distance in 3min 43see, That was Lennart Hlrand, of Bweden, and he equalled Gundiir ilaegg 's world record for the distiince. In other words, Btrand is another freak runner of the calibre of his professionalised friends, Ilaegg and Andersson. Strang lirst started running as a pacenmker for Ilaegg. lle was ii good paeemaker, and he carried on, until one day lie defeated Ilaegg. Paavo Nurmi then declared that Strand was the most . outstanding runner he had ever seen. Now he is probably the most outstanding distance runner in the world. Whether his new performance will be recognised is not indicated in the cable messages, but there seems no reason why it should not be. A meeting sudi as the European Games must surely have been held under approved international conditions, and weather conditions could not all'ect a race over 15DU metres. " Ilaegg 's Riibliit,'' as Strand was known, has now developed into a very powerful hare, invariably bounding aeross the liue lirst by a good few yards. He recently made a tour of America, and it is said that he is almost as good a boogie-w oogie pianist as he is ii runner. Iu appearauce lie is remarkably like Hiiegg, tall tuni slim, but powerful, and with long luiir that streams in the wind as he runs. The time of 29mm 52see returned for

the 10,00(1 metres by an imkuoun man called Ileinol, of Finland. is ti fresh world record. Previously, the record was 29m in 52.6sec, establislied by Taisto Alaki, anotlier Finu, in 1939. llietaneu, yet anotlier Finn, wou the marathoii at these European Games in 2hr 24min dosec. There is no otticiaJly recognised world record for the marathon distance of 26 littles, but the wdnner of the last New Zealand championship, L. E. Fox. covered the distance in 2hr olmiu 9 l-5sec, neaily half an hour slower tlian the time of the Finn. The 198(3 Olympic marathou, won by Kitei Soii, of Japau, iu 2hr 29min 19.2sec, was the ftistest niarathon ever run at the Olynqdc Games. The marathon at the 1989 Games was won by G. Zabtila, of Argentum, in 2hr 81 niin 80sec, and ;it the 192s Olvmpics it wtis won iu 2hr 82min 57sec. The "world record" for Ihe distance was® thought to be about 2hr 2Sniin, although Paavo Nurmi rau it in 2hr 22 niin as ti professional, If till these iigures do no other thing, they should con\ ince you that llietaneu is one of the fiuost long distance runners who lias ever lived. Coniparisons of tiines returned tit the European Games, with world reeords, are interesting. Tliey show that the standard of tithletics in Kurope. and especitilly iu Sciiiidiii.iv ia, is remarkably liigh since the war. The iigures are: -MEN European World Games, recurds. 1 (.)() metres PUisec 10.2sec 200 metres 21.lisec 20.8sec 400 metres 47.9sec * 4(i.0sec 1500 metres 8min 48sec 8111111 lllsec 10,000 metres 29min 52see 29niin 52sec 400 m. hurdles 32.2sec OU.tJsee Ilaniuier throw lNOft 198ft (3:;in Javelin 225ft (Hui 238ft 2.'.iu WOMEN SO 111. hurdles ll.Ssec ll.Osec Discus 1-llft l.jsi'l 6iii Javelin 151ft 9).i:i 154ft 11/iulligh juni]i yft 61 u 5ft 7 7 i 1 1 100 metres ll.Osec . 11.5see~