MILE RECORD LOWERED

Chronicle (Levin), 25 June 1949, Page 5

MILE RECORD LOWERED

(N.Z.P.A.

, — Reuter,

Oxford Performer Betters Lovelock's Time

Coyyrignt)

•Received Friday 8.50 p,m, LONDON, June 24. Oxford and .Cambridge atbletes emerged with the honours at their ' recenf meeting with the comhined team from the American Universities of Harvard and Yale. Roger Bannister, British Universities champion miler, beat the record established by the New Zealander, Jack Lovelock, when he won the mile in 4 minutes 11.9 seconds. Lovelock's time at the same meeting pre-war was 4 minutes 12.6 seconds. Harvard 's athletics coach descrihed Bannister as the greatest miler he had seen for 37 years.

One of England's veteyan athletes, Jack Holden, now aged 42, received a speeial cheer from the crowd, at Chis wick Stadiu'm when he trotted in 2Sf vards ahead of the rest of the field t' win the aftnual Windsor to Londor Marathon. He has been a eross-countr\ runner for 22 years and won the *Wind sor to London race last year. The distanee is 261 miles. He was regarded- a--having a good chance of winning tlv Olvmpic Marathon last year, but wa> disabled before the race by blisterel feet. Gordon Richards, Britain 's champion jockey, looks like retaining his title in spite of his failure onee again to win a Derbv. His three successive wins ai Kempton Park last Saturday brought his total winning rides this season to 105. This was his fifth hat-trick eight days. of riding. Two' years ago Richards set . up a re cord by r.iding 269 winuers iu a seasou. but if he eontihues in his present form he mav break that record and even reach 300 winning rides this season. , The New Zealand batsman, Don Tavlor, who has been given a month'* trial by Warwickshire, made a goocl start by knocking up 54 in the first inuings of the match against Oxford Universitv, and 26 in the second. Warurickshire won comfortably by five wiekets. Alfred Padgham, former British open champion and one of the seleetors of

Britain 's Ryder (;up team, has declared war on the discriminatory rules against professional golfers with the announcement that when he participates in thi« vear's open championship on the Povai Gt. George's Club eourse, at Gandwich iu July he will refuse to use the clubhouse. Padgham disclosed that when he went to Roval St.. George's last weekend with a party of members from his. oira club (Sunbridge Park) he was gpproaCh'ed -by the seeretary aoad warned against using the clubhouse because he was a professional, As a result h'e took his lunch in the steward's quarters. Tn retaliation Padgham states that he will refuse to use any of the club's facilities at the open championship. He will change his elothes in his car and take his meals in the professionals' shop. . - The^Bfitigh Pfbfessiofl!tliGS)lferslwA.s-; sociation has just published its ranking list. This placed M. Eaulkner first, O. H. Ward second, C. A. Whitcombe third, F. Daly fourth, A. Lees fifth, R. Burton sixth and K. Bousfield seventh. Alfred Padgham is eleventh, just abovp the Belgian, Elory vgn Donck. This ranking will have an important bearing on the final comnosition of this year''s British Rvder Cup team. The Eoyal Henlev Regatta will begin this year on June 28, and owing to the exceptionally large entry may occupv six days instead of four. The annual report of the English Rugbv Hniou states fhat 1099 elubs are already afiiliated and 43 more have aoplied for membership. The union com- I pleted the last season with a cash bal- j ance of over £32,000 after allowing £5000 to meet taxation. Eollowing are the dates for next season 's international match^s: Januarv 21, England v Wales; Februarv 11, England v Ireland; Pebruarv 25, England v France; March 18, Enerland v Scotland.

The boost given by the Olympie. Games to the modern penthathlon has resulted in the Royal Air Eorce deciding to hold their own championship. Plans are being eompleted for the event to be held next month — possiblv at Cranwell. The pentathlon is an allround test of athletic skill and* enrluranee, including liorse riding, swimming.' cross-eountry running, shooting and. fenping.,As the R.A.F. have no horses available they had to discard the mounted test. Most of the successful; competitors in the remaining tests will be given facilities for equestrian training with the idea of entering for the British championships. The services probably olfer the best opportunities for pentathlon training. It is mainlv a military test and with one exeeption all competitors for the 'Ilympic championship were military men.