WITH A CROWN

NZ Truth, Issue 1193, 11 October 1928, Page 16

WITH A CROWN

Return of Olympjc

Tourists

(From "N.Z. Truth's" Special Athletic • Correspondent.) If , . not exactly with "honors thick upon them" the Olympic team which returned this week at least had a greater portion of honor and credit m the light of performances than any other that has represented the ' Dominion. TT Is true" that all members of the 1 combination were not entirely successful, but the ' great measure of success m ;some, compensated for the lack of form In others. Morgan, for instance, brings the first Olympiad laurel' to New Zealand and to him must go the major credit, with Lay not far behind with the British championship m his keeping. Miss Wilson has no reason to be ashamed of her performances on the track and the results have proved that the faith of the Gisborne public in i this girl was not misplaced. She had just. the little bit of bad luck that makes the difference between defeat and victory. The form of the swimmers was the most disappointing of all. After their clear-cut victories m Australia it was anticipated that Misses Millar and Stockley would prove themselves to be amongst the first flight of international swimmers. . • Unfortunately, they failed to reproduce the form that caused New Zealand to put up the money to send them overseas. A note of warning was sounded before last swimming season was over that the swimming council should restrict the amount of competition, re-cord-breaking attempts, etc., which the girls were being called upon to make '.before essaying the • journey overseas. No move was made, however, m the matter, and the girls left for Amsterdam straight from one strenuous season to commence on another. It is not possible for the ordinary athlete to do this unless the utmost care, science and patience is devoted to training and there is nothing to show that the competitors m question were noted 'in . this respect. . Lindsay also failed to show the improvement that was necessary to place him as being an" international swimmer, but if he has assimilated all the knowledge that could be assimilated on such a valuable tour, he. should prove of value to the sport m the future. This raises another point which must be impressed upon the members of this Olympic team before they finally settle back into the humdrum of everyday existence. "N.Z. Truth" played a leading part m persuading the general public to provide" the necessary funds to send the team away and m doing so was actuated not only by a desire to give the athletes the reward of success, but also to make them graduates, so to speak, of the great university of experience, so that they could be of benefit to good amateur sport m New Zealand for years to come. The present team must realize that the public looks for something from them, a dividend m fact from i the money invested. On them, .largely, will depend the success or failure of future appeals to the public generosity for sending teams to the Olympiad.