BOUND FOR AMSTERDAM

Sun (Auckland), Volume II, Issue 339, 26 April 1928, Page 10

BOUND FOR AMSTERDAM

Seven N.Z. representative athletes embark to-morrow morning from Wellington to take part in the 1928 Classic gathering—the Olympic Games. KIA ORA Representative of javelin throwing, sprinting, swimming and boxing; seven of the Dominion’s finest athletes sail by the steamer Remuera from the Capital City to-morrow morning—We bid them Au Revoir and Kia Ora Away to Amsterdam to fight for honours in the biggest and most important gathering of athletes in history, the Olympic games, this small group of Maorilanders, all worthy of the task set them, are to face the world s best on the field of sport. It is a golden opportunity 1928 comes as a year when New Zealand seems bound to show the people of the old world that she has progressed beyond their comprehension 7 All Blacks in Africa fighting for the Rugby premiership of the world, our athletes in Hol.and, while in the individual line, Tom Heeney in America is soon to fight for the world s boxing title. It is a year when New Zealanders will tussle for world titles in three different countries.

TT is in the javelin-throwing event at the Games that New Zealand will undoubtedly be best represented of all. Stan Lay, the Hawera expert with the Greek spear, has been doing big things for the last two or three years, and throughout has shown a steady yet marked improvement. Of the seven athletes bound for the bigclassic gathering, he is our “white

hope,” for not only has he the best of chances of clinching a victory, but also of breaking an Olympic Games record. Many of his recent throws, especially the one at a Hawera sports meeting—when he hurled the javelin 216 feet 3J inches, a distance just three feet short of the world’s record—would have won the big title on many occasions, and when this popular Taranaki lad steps on to the field at Amsterdam it will mean merely stepping into his own class. Myrra, of Finland, and Pentilla, are two worldwide known exponents of this branch of sport who are perhaps to be feared, but in their recent improving throws Lay has been with them. The only representative to pound the running track and carry New Zealand’s colours will be Miss Norma Wilson, of Gisborne. This feminine speedster is at present the recordholder and champion lady sprint runner of the Dominion, her times comparing very favourably with any other

champion runners of her sex in the world to-day. It is the first time in the history of the Games that a ladies’ sprint race has been included in the long list of events. Miss Wilson’s chance of bringing hack to Maoriland one of the world’s first titles ever competed for appear quite bright. Our three swimming representatives, Miss Ena Stockley, Miss Kathleen Millar, and Dave Lindsay, are a trio holding between them nearly every record in New Zealand to-day. Both the lady competitors have recently returned from Australia, where they startled enthusiasts on that side of the Tasman by their brilliant performances.

Miss Ena Stockley, Auckland’s sole representative at the Games, is a New Zealand and Australian recordholder, and her times for the backstroke —which, by the way, is her long suit —rank her as a likely successor to America’s star exponent in that sport, the late Miss Cybil Bauer. It has been recognised in both Australia and New Zealand that Miss Stockley

will improve on her past performances when she meets a class of company which will extend her to use the fullest power that she possesses. Otago’s pride, Miss Kathleen Millar, is another wonder in the water, who has cracked record after record in monotonous regularity. Although still in her teens, admirers and supporters hold high hopes of her enhancing her already fine record byVegistering still greater victories, and now that she is to leave for the Olympic Games, she may certainly be relied upon to do so with credit. She does the six-beat crawl; has a very rhythmical leg action, and a smooth, easy arm stroke, with a good reach. When invited to compete in Australia, Miss Miller demonstrated beyond any shadow of doubt that she was in a class which entitled her to be regarded as one of the world's best women swimmers. Her finest performance in Australia probably was when she won the New South Wales 440 yards championship by a touch from Miss Edna Davey. who is Australia’s choice for the Olympic Games, in 6min 3 9-10 sec. Australian critics regard this time as equal to a world’s record, taking into account the differences in the length of the baths in which the respective times were recorded. Next, Miss Miller

won the Australian 440 yards and 220 yards championships. Her best distance is probably the 440 yards, and there is no doubt that she will have to be reckoned with seriously In the 440 metre event at the Games. Her trouble, however, is that she lacks finish in her turning, but the experience which she is to receive before the big event will no doubt remove this handicap. Faced perhaps with the hardest task of any of the seven representatives to fulfil is Dave Lindsay, the New Zealand champion swimmer and record-holder. He has to meet such crack swimmers as “Boy” Charlton, Arne Borg, Johnnie Weismuller, and Takaishi, who are a quartette continually tampering with big records. Dave, who is head and shoulders above any other well-known male swimmer in New Zealand, has had very little trouble in smashing the majority of records in the Dominion, but so far he has never been abroad, not even to Australia, and this lack of experience in big swimming will no doubt prove a bad handicap. His recent record-breaking performances at Dunedin show that he has his best swims to do, and if he strikes form at Amsterdam he should make a good showing. The two amateur boxers to represent the Dominion are Ted Morgan and Alf. Cleverley. Both of these are

considered to be worthy of carrying the fernleaf to Amsterdam, especially after their recent exhibition bouts, when they gave convincing bouts, and were accorded hearty applause. Ted Morgan is a Southpaw boxer, and his undoubted science, combined with a hefty punch, is bound to earn him the respect of his opponents at the Games, just as it has done in New Zealand. He will have the assistance of his fellow team-mate, Alf Cleverley, on the voyage across, and should land fit and well. Cleverley is showing a great sporting spirit by assisting the fund by working his way to England, where he will link up with the team. There is sufficient money for him to

join the team from the start if he desires, but he says that by working his way he will keep his poundage down. He is a clever boxer, and has well earned the honour of wearing the New Zealand colours at the Games. No better choice for the managership of the Olympic team could have been made than the appointment of Mr. Harry Amos, who has had an honourable connection with amateur sport. Mr. Amos/will be accompanied on the voyage by his wife, whose expenses will not be a charge on the

Olympic funds, although she will be officially acting as the chaperone. Mr. Amos will return to New Zealand with information “to burn” after witnessing the Olympic and Tailteann Games, and it is felt sure that he will pass on his knowledge to the athletes, especially to the schools. —G.K.P.