METRIC SYSTEM

Hawke's Bay Herald-Tribune, Issue 53, 18 March 1937, Page 14

METRIC SYSTEM

Deminion Should Adopt It For Athletics JAPANESE VIEWPOINT That' Britisb atbletes would continue to compete at a disadvantage against those from other countries until the authorities adopted tbe metric system t>f distanees was tbe opinion expressed by; Mr. Eiji Kurusawa, interpreter to tbe iouring Japanese atbletes )rken in Napier. . He said that tbe runners bad no accurate means of eomparing tbeir performances with tbose of runners in Ameriea and on tbe Ccmtinent, and tbat when tbey competed at Olympic Games tbe variations in distance were tbe means of rbbbing tbem of most of tbe value of tbeir training nnder tbe British system. He suggested tbat tbe Empire Games would be .of mueb more advantage aa a preparation for Olympie events i± rrm nnder tbe metric system, and pointed ■? ont tbat by ' international agreement tbe cbange sbould bave come into effect years ago. Tbe nnfamiliar* ity of tbe visiting Japanese runners witb tbe Britisb system bad to a certain extent worried tbem, witb tbe xesult tbat tbeir best form was not being demonstrated to tbe New Zealand public. - New Zealand bad not tbe autbority to maka tbe cbange berself witbout consulting tbe atbletic bodies in other Dominions, bnt Mr. KUrusawa considered'.tbafi if sbe made a move in tbis direction witb tbe intention of placing ber atbletes on a more equal footing, tben tbe desired cbange might resnlt. •' * Mr. Kurusawa, wbo bas been for the past seven- years at a New Zealand university, cbatted to a xeporter of tbe performances and troubles in New Zealand of bis two cbarges, Murakaso and Jogami. "Togami's jumping is not yet up to bis best form," be said. "He is a *e ry bad sailor, and neitber man bas yet quite recovered from tbe effects of tbe rougb crossing of tbe Tasman. Murakaso is tbe steadier of tbe two, so be bas been able to do better. "Murakaso 's first appearanco Was at Auckland wbere be xan two miles. He was tben not in form, and failed in bis attempt on tbe New Zealand xecord. His second appearance at Christchurch saw him do tbree miles in 14 minutes 17 seconds, but even tbat is not up to bis real form at alL His performances suffered from lack of re§2 opposition, as C. H. Mattbews was not in form. He was tberefore running all by bimself, and at Auckland Savidan and Cooper did not give him a real race for tbe same reason. v "Lack of real opposition to pusb him ©ver tbe distance bas been one of tbe xeasons for bis not producing good performances in tbis country. In Dunedin, for tbe first time, Pullar was at bis best and made a race of it. He almost held Murakaso, but could not quite bang on to him. fin Christchurch Togami was diseovered to be suffering from tonsilitis, and did not go to Dunedin. He bad not quite recovered wben be appeared at Auckland last week. "Murakaso's real distanees are 5000 and 10,000 metres, and in New Zealand it was tbe first occasion be wks asked to do two miles, and altbougb be bas done well in tbese races it is not bis distance. He is outstanding in bis class in Japan, and tbere is no one anywbere near him. I consider tbat apart from Murakaso tbere is no one in Japan to beat Pullar, Mattbews and Savidan in tbeir races. In my country tbere are many more brilliant sprinters tban long-distance men. " 5 Botb tbe atbletes expressed themaelves as very pleased witb -tbe track at McLean Park. Tbey bad been told tbat it was tbe fastest track in New Zealand, und tbeir expressions of deligbt at tbe bard crisp turf, were numerous. *'It is better tban onr expectations,' ' said Mr Murakaso after lorne discussion witb bis eompatriots.