Colombes Stadium. Paris.
Three splendid wins were gained for Great Britain when the second European championships were continued in the famous Colombes Stadium to-day. A. G. K. Brown winning the 400 metres, D. O. Finlay the 110 metres hurdles, and H. H. Whitlock the 50 kilometres walk. All three established new championship records, and, in addition, Finlay had the distinction of flighting the hurdles in a. time - 14.3 seconds - which has never previously been done by a European.
Furthermore, in to-day's finals, of which there were eleven. British competitors took one second, one third, two fourths, and two sixth places - an excellent achievement. On Saturday, A. W. Sweeney, of tho R.A.F., ran fifth in the final of the 100 metres, which was won in new championship time by M. S. Osendarp, of Holland, and W. E. N. Breach, of Reading A.A., finished sixth in the final of the long jump with a splendid leap of 23ft. 6ins.
In some ways the second place of S. S. Yarrow, in the marathon was the feat of today from a British point of view. This was only the second big marathon event in which the Polytechnic harrier had taken part, yet he forced the famous Finn, V. Muinonen, who finished fifth in the Olympic marathon, to record a beat time for the championships to beat him. Moreover, he easily turned the tables on the Swedish champion, H. Palme, who had beaten him in the Windsor-White City marathon earlier this year.
Britain's third placing went to Alan Pennington, who was only beaten out of second place in the 200 metres by inches, while J. St. L. Thornton lost third place in the 110 metres hurdles, also by inches.
In the final of the 200 metres the British runners had the cruel luck to be drawn in the two worst lanes. Pennington in the sixth and Fenkins in the fifth. A slow start made things worse for Pennington, and he did not get going until the back stretch where he was still ahead. Osendarp, however, came after him entering the straight and went on to win comfortably. Pennington lost ground in running wide on entering the straight, and he allowed the German, Scheuring, to pass him. He made a great effort to overtake him but he failed by inches.
Final; 1. Osendarp (Holland). 21. 2 secs.: 2, Scheuring (Germany). 21-6: 3. Pennington (Great Britain). 21-6: 4. Saelens (Belgium). 21-7; 5, Gyenes (Hungary). 22; 6. Jenkins (Great Britain). 22.
Ends
Source - Daily Post - Monday, 05/09/1938
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