OLYMPIC GAMES

Hokitika Guardian, 3 August 1928, Page 2

OLYMPIC GAMES

Australian Press Assn.—United Service

(Received this day at 8 n.m.) LONDON, .August 2. Pearce’s twelve lengths victory might just as easily have been twenty-five. The first announced time was 8.55 4-5, which was more than two minutes slower than Pearce had -been doing in practice, but half an hour later tlie officials corrected the time, to the great relief of Australians, as in the third heat the Canadian Wright recorded 7.56 4-5. The Dutch champion Gin- . ther, however, made such a good fight,__/ that the Canadian was less than a length to spare, thus adding to the optimism of Pearce’s chances. Racing started at 9.20, consequently there were but a handful of spectators, practically confined to Sloten villagers. Next to the winning post were a Dutch housewife and five children, wlio sat unconcernedly knitting.

AMSTERDAM, August 2. Pearce was first in the 250 metres, three seconds faster than Wright, who though liard-pressed, took a second longer than the Australian for the full course. Pearce and Wright are clearly outstanding. Only two of the six winners beat eight minutes. The comparative slowness is accounted for by the fact that the water is even deader than usual, the result of two days rain. After Pearce’s second heat on Saturday, a well-known English coach gave the opinion that Pearce was the best sculler for years. His only possible fault is that his body swings back slightly too fast. To-day's time-table is: Two o’clock Winter, hop, step and jump; Lay, javelin; Stuart, 400 metres; three o’clock, final 1500 metres; four o’clock, second round, 400 metres. Charlton’s heat in the 1500 metres is at ten on Saturday forenoon. AMSTERDAM., August 2. In the sculls (two thousand metres) heat, Pearce (Australia) beat Flinscli (Germany) by 12 lengths. Pearce recorded Australia’s first success by defeating Walter Flinscli, five times tlie champion of Germany in the second heat of the sculls. An easier victory could not be imagined. Pearce pulled up and was resting on his oars half a minute before the German passed the winning post. Then he shook hands looking perfectly fit, while Flinscli was nearly rowed out. Pearce is much heavier than the slightly-built German, who, however, has always won his championship with the greatest ease The wind, which almost invari- _ 4 a'blv benefits scullers, to-day perversely chopped round, blowing across the course, rather against the contestants. AMSTERDAM, August 1. Despite the German girl Dollinger’s world’s record in the first heat the women’s exhibitions in the eight hun- * dred metres were mostly deplorable. Another Nurmi-Ritoln meeting is assured as the result of both together with their compatriots, Boukola and Anderson, qualifying for tlie final o the 3,000 metres steeplechase. (Received this day at 9.30 a.m). AMSTERDAM, Aug. 2. Olvmpia results : -1500 Metres final: Larva (Finland), 1, Lndoumergue - (France) 2, Purje (Finland) 3. Time 53 l-ssecs. beating Nurmi’s Olympic record. . _ , . 800 Metres, women’s final: Fraulein Rrulki (Germany) 1, Miss Hitomi (Japan) 2, Fraulien Gentzol (Sweden) 3. Time 2.16 4-5 secs., beating her own world’s record. “ Javelin throw, final: Lundquist (Sweden) 218 ft. 6in. (Olympic record). Tlie New Zealander, Lay, 206 ft. in the heat did not qualify for the final,