BLACKEST OLYMPIAD

Evening Post, Issue 37, 12 August 1936, Page 10

BLACKEST OLYMPIAD

BRITAIN'S FAILURE

LOVELOCK SUMS UP

PREPARATION IMPORTANT

(Received August 12, 2.10 p.m.) LONDON, August 11. "The Qlympic Games may well go down, in British history as our blackest Olympiad," writes J. E. Lovelock (New Zealand) in the "Evening News," "and for an event occurring once in four years it is obvious that the timing of the main effort is most important, yet many of our best men had previously depleted their energy by too early and too much preliminary competition. "Nevertheless, the failure in some ways, was merely relative, as many performances were equal to and even beyond the athletes' previous best. Yet they were unable to cope jwith the greatly-improved men of the recordbreaking nations. The United States, Germany, and Japan stand out, not only by virtue of their accomplishments, but also because of their thoroughness, careful training, and study of technique. . GERMAN, THOROUGHNESS. "Germany has long regarded the Games as her contribution to modern sport. She has developed a new physical self-consciousness, resulting in a thorough investigation of athletic potentialities. Searches throughout the nation for possible champions and perfect training conditions aided the skilled technical coaches. If this is associated with a certain superefficiency and over-organisation, which is sometimes stupid,- it is a natural corrollary to the German attitude, but whatever may be thought of the organisation spirit, all must be impressed by the magnificent efforts of their German rivals and the courtesy with which the Germans have treated their guests. "America has continued her successes despite the invasion from, Germany and the steady rise of Japan, the latter of which is the most important. The Japanese performances in the hop, step, and jump, the pole vault, marathon, and especially . Murakosa's 5000 and 10,000 metres, have established Japan's claim to be one; of the world's main athletic nations. Nobody who sa,w Murakosa heroically fight against the invincible Finns will ever forget the little Easterner's courage."