Olympic Cavalcade

PARIS, 1924 141 The victory of Stenroos seemed now well assured, but Sam Ferris had moved up w join the second batch of runners who were within 5 minutes of the leader. Finally, Stenroos, returning 2 hrs. 41 mins. 22·6 secs., won by almost 6 minutes from Bertini (Italy), De Mar (U.S.A.), Halonen (Finland), and Sam Ferris (G.B.). Finland has, I am glad to report, suitably recognized the genius and the love of sport which Stenroos has always shown, for he now has an exceedingly nice flat under the grand stand of the stadium at Helsinki, where the XVth Olympiad will be held it} 1952 in ideal conditions, and Stenroos, moreover, is now in charge of the grqund. An adequate recognition of a great champion who remains a constant source of encouragement and admiration to the very efficient young Finns of the present generation. At the Olympic Games there is officially no system of points scoring, but as the Press correspondents worked it out on a basis of their own at Paris, U.S.A. had in the track and field events scored 25 5 points; Finland 166 points; Great Britain 85 points; Sweden 31 points, and France 20. America took credit for 12 1st places, whereas Finland had tied with them by tak:ing 9 1st places at Antwerp; but now, working on the comparative basis of manpower, Finland was still to the fore, for 5 Finns had accounted for 10 1st places, and whereas America had won but a single track event, Finland had produced Nurmi, the winner of 5 races from 1500 to IO,ooo metres. As to the rest of the programme, "The Boxing, Swimming and Football tournaments were marred by the unseemly behaviour of certain of the com– petitors, the officials and spectators and after considering the matter the International Olympic Committee took certain steps which it deemed necessary in order to avoid a recurrence of the trouble," according to the British Official Report of the Vlllth Olympiad. No word of reprobation has, however, been said regarding any winner of a Boxing championship, all of which were decided on points as follows: Fly-weight: F. La Barba U.S.A., beat J. MacKenzie, G.B., on points. Bantam-weight: W. Smith, S. Africa, beat S. Tripoli, U.S.A. Feather-weight: J. Fields, U.S.A., beat J. Salas, U.S.A. Light-weight: H. Neilsen, Denmark, beat A. Copello, Argentine. Welter-weight: J. Delarge, Belgium, beat H. Mendez, Argentine. -Middle-weight: H. Mallin, G.B., beat J. Elliot, G.B. Light Heavy-weight: H. Mitchell, G.B., beat T. Petersen, Denmark. Heavy-weight: 0. Von Porat, Norway, beatS. Petersen, Denmark. . ~he Olympic Association Football tournament, in which Great Bntam, with the growth of professionalism, seemed to be losing interest, for no British team was sent to Paris, took place in the latter part of May and