N.Z. Olympic Team’s Arrival in London

Grey River Argus, 31 May 1948, Page 2

N.Z. Olympic Team’s Arrival in London

LONDON, May 30. The New Zealand Olympic team arrives at Tilbury to-morrow. It wili be met by the. High Commissioner (the Rt. Hon. W. J. Jordan) and Lord Burghley, representing the Olympic Council. Until the Olympic Games camp at Richmond is completed, the New Zealanders will stay in London at a hotel near Lancaster Gate. Among those who are eager to greet the team is Douglas Harris, who will return to London on Monday from Iceland, where he has been running during the week-end. Harris made a good impression last Saturday when he clocked 49.75ec for the quarter-mile at the Universities’ Athletic Union championships, and clipped 2sec off the U.A.U. record for this race. On the previous day Harris had a trial run using five-eighth inch spikes. In his own words, he felt-“ail at sea”, so he used three-eighth inch spikes for the race. “I felt good all the way”, he said, “and I feel at present that all augurs well for a successful season”. One thing—or rather two things—pleased him: He had steak for breakfast both days he w r as in London! ■ WELLINGTON, May 30. News of the appointment of Harold Nelson as captain of the New Zealand Olympic team came from the team manager, Mr D. T. Woodfield, who says he appointed Nelson as captain, realising that he must have a "righthand man”. "The appointment was popular, and already Harold has been of great assistance to me”, says Mr Woodfield “Some might say I should have waited until our arrival in England and appointed D. M. Harris, but it should>not bo forgotten that Nelson will bo with 1 me about two months longer than Harris’’. The team was following a regular schedule, but was cutting out early morning work In the meantime, in view of the generally accepted opinion that too much early morning training would interfere with rest. He gave the following details of the training programme being followed:— “Ngaire Lane has no pool to practice in, but we constructed apparatus which permits her to carry out exercise equivalent to backstroke swimming. ' “Bob Goslin had his punch ball has had a spar or two. Harold Nelson did a daily run around, the deck, and ‘Pom’ Crow is working to a strict schedule, and is very fit indeed. He has a full set of weights aboard. Crow is a good pianist and actually acted in this capacity at Divine service last Sunday. “The team, so far, has not shown any signs of putting on weight. ‘Dutch’ Holland had the misfortune to injure his heel (not while training). It was rather' a nasty split”.