Evening star., 1924-07-13
u. S. OLYMPIC TEAM
CL|NCHES VICTORY,
WITH F|NNS SECOND
Nurmi Wins 1O,OO0-Meter
Race as Score Fall Under
Scorching Sun Rays.
RECORDS SHATTERED
BY AMERICAN STARS
Osborne Wins Decathlon, G. u. Star
Second-Track and Field Events.
to End Today.
BY the Associated Press

BY the Associated Press
oL1 MPlC STADIUM COLOMR 4
france, July 12.-Strfding to the m -
thrilling victory of his career ,.n,...
the most trying conditions anv run
her ever raced, Paavo Nurmi, Fin.
idho superman of the track, led q
team to double triumph in III.
olympic cross-country championshi<
today, which witnessed the tragic COL
lapse or more than half of the TIVE
score starters under terrific hea1
that parched the gruelling 10000
meter course. His victory, SO far AS,
winning premier honors for Finland.
was in vain, for the American team
already has clinched the honor.
Greater than even the unprece-
dented capture of two events in th,
same afternoon, last Thursday. was
Nurmi's achievement today, for the
Finnish cyclone proved his stamina
as well as his speed where his rivals
faltered under the pace and fell like
leaves by the wayside in probably the
most spectacular Olympic race ever
witnessed.
OsbOrne's Feat in Shadow.
Even Harold Osbornes great de-
cathlon victory for America and the
creation Of two new world records
the first when the flashing quartet
of American sprinters covered the 400
meter relay in Al is seconds, and
the second, when A. w. Winter, the
Australian kangaroo, bettered the
thirteen-year-o hop, step and jump
record by 3-16ths of an inch-were
eclipsed by the dramatic struggle OF
the distance runners against the
terrific odds.
Along the course that Nurmi raced
practically unchallenged to victory,
they began to go down before the
halfway mark was reached. Among
the first to fall was Elvin Wide, the
gallant Swede, who started off in the
lead, only to- drop, victim of sun
stroke.
Beats Ritola 500 Meters.
Nurmi, on the other hand, came un-
der the stadium portal apparently
strong, to finish in front of his stout
hearted countryman, Rltola, who was
more than 500 meters behind. Many
of the others were able to reach the
enclosure gates, but never crossed
the finish line.
Andia, a Spanish runner, sprawled
face downward in sight of the grand
stand lust as he struggled inside.
while Dolques, the French star
brought a moan from his countrymen
when, after tottering half way round
the track. he fell in heap IN front
of the official tribune and in sight OF
the tape. Only fifteen of the original
thirty-nine starters. and only three OF
the eight teams finished.
Finland. with Nurmi and Ritola
finishing first and second, defeated
the United States by margin of IL
points to IA, with France third. one
of the Finnish contingent, Lehmatal-
men, stopped and started off the track
three times in daze before he final
ly crossed in twelfth position.
Swedish Team Fails.
Sweden's entire team collapsed un-
der the terrific conditions. Wide and
Bergstrom being taken to the hos
pital, while about two dozen others
had to be given medical treatment,
several of them lying in a semi-con-
scious state for more than an hour
after having given their all in the
vain struggle.
The Americans next to the Firms
stood the long grind best, four of the
six American starters finishing, with
the negro star, Earl Johnson, leading
the contingent in third place, two
hundred meters behind Ritola. Arthur
Studenroth, Meadow Brook Club,
Philadelphia, finished sixth; August
Eager, Finnish American Athletic Club
New York, eighth, and James Henigan.
Dorchester Club of Medford, Mass.
tenth, but only the first three figured
in the team scoring.
John J. Gray, United States, consid-
erably affected by the heat, dropped
out not far from the end. while Verna
Booth was forced to quit by foot
trouble.
Nurmi's third victory of the games
marked the first triple Olympic tri-
umph since Hannes Kolehmainen, an.
other sturdy Finn, accomplished the
trick in the distance races in 1912 at
Stockholm. Some of the honors. how
ever, go to Willie Ritola. who COM
pleted the unprecedented feat of run
ming $4,000 meters in six days,
record breaking Olympic achievement.
capturing two firsts and two seconds
for a total of thirty points, which
equals the number collected by his
more famous teammate.
U. s. Clinches Title.
Though Finland gained slightly on
the United States in the point battle
for the day, the little Nordic natioz
now can not catch the Americans, re.
gardless of the outcome of tomor-
rows final events, and their only
hope now is the chance that they take
more first places than Uncle Sam.
America offset practically all of
Finland's notable gains when. with
out official tabulation being available,
1T was announced that Osborne had
captured the decathlon championship.
with his countryman Norton second
CONTINUED on Page 2, Column 6l