Vanquisher of Nurmi

Sun (Auckland), Volume III, Issue 915, 7 March 1930, Page 7

Vanquisher of Nurmi

LERMOND TO RUN HERE Carlaw Park Carnival TOMORROW at Carlaw Park Auckland will have its iirst and only chance of seeing two great runners —Australia’s G. A. Golding and America’s Leo Lermond. The pair have met with success everywhere, they have beaten some of tlie world’s best runners, some of the world’s best times.

At the New South Wales championships in January—famous because of the Peltzer incident —Goldins won the 440yds in 48 3-10. Since coming to New Zealand he has not approached that wonderful record. He nas, however, won his races in times so consistent and so much better than those of our own champions that he has amply proved himself! Shortly after Golding’s arrival Jack Fleming led him home in a quarter - mile event. Fleming, who had five yards handicap and won by four yards in 50 1-5, is an ex-New Zealand champion. He has returned a faster time for the quarter-miie than any other New Zealander. Golding and Lermond made two appearances at Christchurch. On the first occasion, though he failed in his attempt on the long-standing New Zealand record of 49 1-5, Golding created a new time for Canterbury—49 4-5. This event was a scratch race, with Fleming his only opponent. Golding was an easy winner. Returning to Christchurch from Dunedin—where lie won with ease, outclassing the New Zealand champion, A. W. Findlay, in 50 4-s—the Australian covered the distance in 50 1-5, again winning as lie liked. AUCKLAND OPPONENTS Golding will meet T. E. Henry. T. K. Cambie, K. B. Smith and L. H. Meredith in tomorrow’s quarter. Though none of these runners is a match for him, a good handicap race should result. Henry and Meredith are Auckland’s best men over this distance. Cambie is the Tauranga lad who ran with such

In this event Nurmi was defeated by his old rival, Willie Ritola, with Edvin Wide third. Lermond was the first English-speaking man to finish, defeating among others Wally Leavers, the English champion. At the Tailleann Games, following the Olympic Games, Lermond made backs of his opponents and returned to America, with his star in the'ascendancy. A visit to Europe saw him defeat Nurmi, Ritola, Larva (considered Nurmi's successor) and the now famous American had no more worlds to conquer. He won the American mile title, defeating Ray Conger, one of the best American milers. and had no trouble in so doing. His run was the second best ever recorded in America. Leo had a yearning to visit New Zealand. Had not his old club-mate, Lloyd Hahn, told him about its many attractions? There were runners there whom the American would relish meeting, so he was not slow to accept tlie invitation for a tour that included this