Olympic Cavalcade

OLYMPIC CAVALCADE Loukola, a young chauffeur from Helsinki, who won the race in 9 mins. 21·8 secs., and again it was Nurmi who followed him home. The Finns had now won all the distance track events above 8oo metres, but their good day was not yet finished, because Paavo Yrjola won the Decathlon with a new Olympic total of 8053'29 points from E. Jaervinen, Finland. The Athletic section of the programme closed on 5August when U.S.A. won both Relay races, that of 400 metres in 41 secs. and the 16oo metres in 3 mins. 14·2 secs. The Marathon race took place also that day. There were 75 runners representing 24 nations. America's entry included Clarence De Mar, the veteran printer-preacher from Boston, and Joie Ray, the taxi-driver-runner from Chicago; Franee, for her best, had El Ouafi, an Algerian despatch rider from the Western Desert. Dark horses were Yamada, of Japan, Marttelin, of Finland, and the newspaper boy, M. Plaza, a Chilean. Our British hopes were centred in a youngster named Bignall, Sam Ferris, of the R.A.F., and Harry Payne, all very strong runners. Joie Ray flattered his compatriots by leading towards the end of the race, but in the end El Ouafi won in 2 hrs. 32 mins. 57 secs from Plaza and the old Finn, Marttelin. Yamada, of Japan, surprisingly, was 4th; Joie Ray 5th; Isuda, of Japan, foreshadowed things to come in 6th place; then came Kuokka, Finland, and at last, Sam Ferris, of Britain, 8th. · Meanwhile, in theWomen's Athletic section of the programme, Ge·rmany had won her first gold Olympic medal, Frau L. Radke beating Kinui Hitomi, the great all-round Japanese athlete, in the 8oo metres Final. Ethel Catherwood, a really beautiful Canadian girl, had won theWomen's High Jump with a World's record of 5 ft. 2! in. The Discus event had gone to the famous Polish woman all-rounder, Hallinaa Konopacka; the 100 metres to E. Robinson, U.S.A., and the Final of the 400 metres Relay to Canada. In connection with these Olympic Games, it was said that the Olympic programme was at last really stabilized. From the track and field programme, Walking and Slinging the 56-lb . Weight had both disappeared. Lawn Tennis, also, had vanished, leaving the comprehensive all-nound basis of athletics, with which I have already dealt: Boxing, Cycling, Equestrianism, Fencing, Football, Gymnastics, Hockey, Modern Pentathlon, Polo, Rowing, Swimming, Shooting, Wrestling, Weight-lifting, Yachting and the Winter Sports which were held at St. Moritz and Davos in connection with that Olympiad. Boxing, for which there was a special stadium, took place on 5 days, 7 to 12 August, when 29 countries sent representatives for the 8 events. The British. Empire gained but one victory through E. Morgan, Ne:V Zealand, winning the Welter-weight. There was a modification also in this part of the programme.