The Fourth Olympiad London 1908 (extracts)

93 This was a good race. J. F. Svanberg went off with the lead, and was soon 20 yards ahead. He kept his place for the :first mile, when the others drew up, the lead lying alternately between Bouin, Eisele, and Trube, who were never far apart. In the last mile de Fleurac went ahead and the pace quickened, the Swedes being left .in the rear, but the Frenchmen were not to be shaken off, and in a :fine last lap Bouin got clear away, and won by 20 yards; the other :five practically a dead-heat. Team placings: America, 2, 3, 5-10 points; France, I, 4, IO-I S ; Sweden, 6, 7, 8-21. FINAL. n1. s. I. J.E. Deakin, United Kingdom 14 39~ 2. A. J. Robertson, United Kingdom .. 14 41 3. W. Coales, United Kingdom 14 41~ 4. J. L. Eisele, United States . . 14 41t 5· H. A. Wilson, United Kingdom 14 57 6. G. . Bonhag, United States 15 5 7. N. F. Hallows, United Kingdom 15 8 8. L. de B. de Fleurac, France .. 15 8~ r, 9. H. L. Trube, United States .. 15 II IO. G. A. Dull, United States .. 15 27 I I. J. Dreher, France IS 40 12. H. \V. Conn, United States IS 401 I3. P. Lijandier, France .. I6 3 TEAM PLACI GS. UNITED KINGDO 1. u ITED STATES. FRA CE, J. E. Deakin J. L. Eisele .. 4 L. de Fleurac 8 A. J. Robertson 2 G. V. Bonhag 6 J. Dreher I I W. Coales .. 3 H. L. Trube .. 9 P. Lijandier .. 13 6 19 32 Robertson led for the first two laps, when eakin went up, Coales next taking a turn, then Deakin and Robertson going again. The Americans came up ere two miles were covered, and Eisele of their team kept in the front rank. Wilson was dropped, and Hallows tailed off with the second American division. Eisele, however, refused to be left. In the last lap Deakin came away with a fine spurt, and won by thirty yards. Eisele came up the straight in good style, but Robertson, in a ·plendid purt, kept beside Coales and encouraged him to stay ahead, so that the United Kingdom were thus able to score the first three place and win well. But Eisele showed fine form and great determination. It is suspected by experienced watch-holders that the time officially returned for Deakin was an error, for he won by thirty yards at least, and mu t have done about 14 min. 35 sec. The intermediate times were 4.42 g for the first mile, and 9.44:t for the second. The world's record (amateur) for three miles is 14·17}, done by A. Shrubb at Stamford Bridge in 1903. J. E. Deakin was 29 years old, born near toke-on-Trent, and served in South Africa. He was 5 ft. 7 in. high, and weighed 9 st. 3 lb. A. J. Robertson was 29 also, born near Sheffield, and was a good cyclist before making hi mark aero s countrr