LOVELOCK'S PROWESS

Hawke's Bay Herald-Tribune, Issue 65, 3 April 1937, Page 14

LOVELOCK'S PROWESS

LESSONS AT ITffi GAMES ambassador for athletes OLYMPIC ANNUAL REPORT While J. E. Lovelock vras the only member of the New Zealand team to gain honours at the Olympic Games at Berlin, the. brilliance of his performance more than made up for the defects of the other New Zealanders (states the annual report of the New Zealand Olympic and British Empire Games' Association). The reports of the Games eulogise the victories of the American negroes, and Lovelock's win in the 1500 metres composed the finest milers the world has seen, and to win such an event and to break the world's record at the same time was a performance to be proud of. Lovelock thoroughly deserved all the congratulations Showered upon him, since he had made no secret of the fact that he h&d spent four years' preparation for the event. While it was considered by eompetent authorities that Lovelock might have had a better chance in the 5000 metres, where the competition was not so strong, he rightly decided, -notwithstanding the reputation of his antagonists, to stick to the 1500 metres. New Zealand has every re&son to be proud of the performance of its Rhodes Scholar.

The hospitality and kindness shown to the members of the teams from the various parts of the Empire by the hosts of the eleventh Olympic Games should do much to promote enduring friendships. One lesson learned frcan the 1936 Games is that the Suez route to England is not the best for an athletic team. Generally there was not sufficient time at the ports of call for work-outs, and experience seems to indicate that Ihe ideal route has not yet been tried. Flying would be the ideal method of transport, but its costliness renders it out ot the question for the time being. Another lesson learned was that untH New Zealand has cinder tracks its track representatives must compete at a disadvantage. Every effort should be made to have cinder tracks in the four principal centres as quickly as possiNe. LwdMkk ThSt "Thanks to the invitation and generosity of the New Zealand Government, we were privileged to have as our guest for a.few short weeks in November and December last, Mr. J. E. Lovelock, the wlnner of the 1500 metres at the Games," the report contJnues. "Mr. Lovelock's reputation and modest demeanour and pleasing

personality caused the visit to be anything but a holiday for our guest, ?is the demands made upon his time left him little or no privacy. Notwithstanding this, Lovelock stood up to the strain like the champion he is, and his track displays, his talks to school boys and athletes on training and racing, and his replies to the numerous functions he attended from Auckland to Dunedin, proved an inspiraiion not only to athletes, but to our prominent business, professional and political people. Hints were given that his services might be availed of when his examinations in England are over, and it would be difficult to flnd a better man to brlng home to our people the importance and necessity of physical well-being. It is to be hoped that New Zealand will soon have the benefit of his experience and knowledge. New Zealand is indebted to the Prime Minister, Mr. M. J. Savage, and his colleagues for making the visit possible and also to the Minister of Internal Affairs, Mr. W. E. Parry, and the Under-Secretary for Internal Affairs, for the arrangements made for the comfort and pleasure of Mr. Lovelock."