HIS COMING AWAITED

NZ Truth, Issue 1261, 30 January 1930, Page 13

HIS COMING AWAITED

Lermond Will Strike Form Here (From "N.Z. Truth's" Special Athletic Writer.) Dr. Peltzer and his countryman Empton will provide the hors d'ouevre of the big events of the athletic season with a brief visit to New Zea-/ land, but Leo Lermond, the great American runner, and R. Goldlng, the phenomenal Australian, will usher In the joints i with a more extended visit. SO far Lermond has not struck form m Australia, indeed he has not had time, but New Zealand is destined to get him when he is m top gear. Lermond is m his early twenties and is regarded as the - premier middledistance runner m the world to-day. He ran third to Nurmi and Ritola at the Olympic ■ Games, but his rapid improvement after that caused Nurmi to forget about a trip to<. America.' Nurmi's manager Is credited with having admitted that the Finn was not likely to relish a meeting with the improved American. Though Lermond has struck some hot opposition m Australia, Whyte having "defeated him m the good time of 4min. 21 l/ssec.,. he is likely to flnd.it even more torrid over here. We have the incomparable Rose getting into form and the great Aucklander, Savidan, running as well, as ever. s Barnes, too, is, turning m some splendid performances m Canterbury, also Gibbons m Wanganui and Morris m Dunedin. Fit and well, Rose. is an immensely superior runner to 'Whyte and competent judges affirm ; that the same applies to Savidan. •...'. •Lermond, therefore, will need to be at his best when he hits these shores. Accompanying Lermond will be Golrling, the young New South Wales quar-ter.-miler, who has set Sydney by the ears this season with his phenomenal performances and over whom a fuss occurred when Dr. Peltzer expressed his reluctance to run against him after having previously run a half-mile.