DOMINION BOXERS

Evening Post, Issue 37, 12 August 1936, Page 9

DOMINION BOXERS

•TRAINING IN LONDON

Although no news has yet been received of the success or otherwise of the New Zealand boxers at the Games indications from the last days of their stay in London pointed to their having good chances of success. By air mail, "The Post's" special representative with the team, Mr. Sammy Chapman, reports that the three, T. Arbuthnot. N. Fisher, and C. Gordon, had all benefited from his training schedule. On July 19, Arbuthnot weighed lOst 91b, .Fisher 9st 121b, and Gordon 9st 31b.# At that time their London training had just about finished, and the boys were being put through a special speeding-up preparation prior to their departure for Berlin a few days later. After that Mr. Chapman intended to give all a rest for a few days before starting on the- final wind-up for the bouts at the Games. The boys were being entertained at various, gatherings. They were taken to the Holborn Stadium, where, while a programme of bouts is put through, the fashionable audience dines at cabaret tables or stands at side bars sipping various "spots." The boys met everybody; unfortunately for them, they were in strict training, for it is probable they would have gained several pounds weight by acceptance of everything they were offered. They met many of London's sporting editors and journalists, and were extremely popular with everyone present. ATTENTION TO TRAINING. The sincerity with which the New Zealanders followed their training routine was a credit to them and to the Dominion, "The Post's" representative reports. Everybody in the neighbourhood where the boys were quartered had made much of them, and, in fact, had practically adopted them. The three were doing their. outdoor training in Hyde Park, entering it from the Marble Arch and rambling through the famous beauty spot. They shadow bojied, sprinted, and exercised in the Park, and continued with walks and road work in front of Kensington Palace, along Rotten Row to Hyde Park corner, across Constitution Hill, and through > Wellington Arch into Pall Mall. They usually passed by Buckingham Palace, and continued on before turning back into the Park and home. BIG EXCITEMENT. The New Zealanders' greatest excitement came one morning when they turned out. in training togs for one spin, taking a route likely to lead them to the place where King Edward was to inspect the Guards. The inspection was all but over, but as the King started !on his way back towards Buckingham Palace the boys set out to do their training.

They arrived at the fateful spot near Wellington Afch only a few minutes after the alleged attempted assassination of the King had occurred. The letter carried the information that the New Zealanders intended to have a picture of themselves taken at the spot, which lay on the usual training route.