Several Records Equalled Or Broken

Chronicle (Levin), 2 August 1948, Page 5

Several Records Equalled Or Broken

(N.Z.P.Ai-

■Reuter,

Copyright)

LONDON, July 30. In very hot weather the spectutovs at the Wembley Stadiupi this afteruQou saw the world 's best athletes competing in the Olympic events. There were three fliinor sensations during the 'day, A Daifish runner, TI. Cliristenseu, fell and broke his right leg in the heat of the 800 metres and was earried off 011 a stretcher. MeGrew, the American star high, jumper, who . was tipped to win tlie event, hit the bar at his first two^attempts in the qualifying lieats of the high jump and just scraped over at the third try. Eire's swimming team withdrew from the Games. The International Swimming Federation declared two Northern Ireland swimmers ineligible for the Eire team and the whole team then withdrew, sayiiig the team was all-Ireland and not only from Eire. WITH THE NEW ZEALANDERS. " D. M. HARRIS: Qualified for the semi-final of the 800 metres. J. M. HOLLAND: Won his heat in the 400 metres hurdles and finished second t-o last in the second fdund. W. H. NELSON: Withdrew from the 10,000 metres after completing 17 of the ,25 laps. Both semi-finals of the 400 metres hurdles were run in 51.9sec., - beating the Olympic record of 52sec. " The pace was too fast for me," said Holland. "My best New Zealand time is 53.6sec. I think I beat that today." Dr. Porritt had a word of encouragement for Holland as he was limbering up on the traek before his heat, It was 35 minutes late in starting, as the hurdles had to be measnred into position, and the waiting competitors lhy around on the turf.. Until the runi\ers enter the straight the hurdles are placed rat an angle about four or five jrnrds ahead of eaeh. other. In the straight they are all placed level. This resulted in Holland appearing to be behind, but as soon as he. entered the straight he was seen to be leading, and he finished just in front of A. B. Storskrubb, of FiulaniL Both wero looking back over their shoulders in the last few yards to make certain that they were 'easily ahead. «■ ■ v In the semi-final^o'n^er|j v itobvious that Holl^ciid M'as, " ^utpl-ass^d,) and though he hura led A Wefl We was unable to gain any ground in the straight. -"I think his cold made a iot of differenee to him, " said the coach and masseur, Mr. B. R. McKernan, of Dunedin. "He wasvall- -r|ghL;for Lhe first heat, but he tia'diUt ehouvgli In liini for the semi-final. " ■ Holland said : ' fL ani not maldng any excuses. I just wasn't fast enough. 1 enjoyed the first heat apd felt fine. 1 shall have to learn to mov'e quicker. " In the first semi-final, in whieh Holland ran fifth, Larsen, of^Swedpn, broke the Olympic record, JFhp" American Cochran equalled the noyv" refeord in the second semi-final. Nelson was unable to complete the course of the 10,000 metres, He ran several laps, and when he pulled out he was limping. The race was won by Zatopek, of Czechoslovakia, who gave au amazing performance, lapping the field *and finishing with a terrifie sprint, with the erowd roaring ap'proval and encouragement. Nelson ran well in the 10,000 metres, deciding not to have the muscle which he pulled last Saturday anaesthetised. Nelson completed 17 out of the 25 laps in the race, and though he pulled up slightly limpjng, he told me later: "My leg is not worrying me mucli, and 1 will entcr for the 5000 metres tomorrow, My trouble was my 'tummy. ' I was short of long-distance training runs due to my leg, and at one stage it felt as though I had a' knife stieking into me during the race. But the race has probably done me a lot of good, and 1 will have another go tomorrow."