Evening star., 1952-07-20
Olympic Titles
AT Stake Today
In Three Events
Americas s Walt Davis
Picked in High Jump;
Navy Crew in Action
BY the Assoeioted Press

BY the Assoeioted Press
HEI.SINKI. July 10 - Three
great athletes-Walt Davis Of the
United States. Emil Zatopek of
Czechoslovakia, and Nina Dunn
badze of Russia - will take the
center of the Olympic stage to-
morrow.
The colorful ceremonies fin
ished, the political wrangling post
poned, the 18th modern Olympics
move at last into the sportA arena.
Russian and American athletes
meet at last in major competition.
Tomorrow's track and field pro-
gram. before capacity crowd of
70, 900 in the main stadium, brings
finals in the high jump, in which
Davis, the towering Texan, is ia
vored; the women's discus, which
everyone thinks Nina Dumbadze
will win, and the 10000 meters, in
which zatopek is defending cham
Ipion and the class of the field.
Actually. competition has been
going on all week in soccer,
basketball, and field hockey-but
now it Is formal, official and i'm
|portant.
Track is the central sport Of the
first full fledged day of competi-
|tion. but preliminary rounds also
start in rowing, yachting and
wrestling, in addition to the semi
finals in field hockey and three
soccer matches.
Navy Crew Faces Test.
In rowing the luck of the draw
has pitted the powerful American
Ieight from the Naval Academy at
Annapolis against Britain's big
shell from the Leander Club
mostly from the unbeaten Cam
bridge crew of 1851.
Under the complicated second
chance system. 2 crew could lose
even two heats and still get into
the finals.
The track and field program
will be a stellar one. In addition
to the three big final events,
there will be preliminaries in the
100 meters, the 400-meter hurdles
and the 800 meters.
Record High Jump Needed.
The only chance the United
States has for winning f1rst-day
gold medal Is in the high jump.
Davis, who towers 6 feet 8 inches.
has jumped consistently at 60 and
better and has narrowly missed a
world record on several occasions.
The Olympic mark of CT 1916
seems well within his reach. Davis
predicted today that the winner
will have to break the record.
However, from behind the Iron
Curtain has come a formidable
challenger in Ion Soeter of Ro-
mania, for whom marks almost
as good as Davis best are claimed
and who greatly impressed the
Americans in his workouts.
High jumping is a tricky af-
fair, influenced by both weather
and temperament, and the United
States has two men behind Davis
who might win if he falters-Ken
Wiesner of Marquette and Arnold
Betton of Drake.
Zatopek Supreme in Field.
In the 10000 meters, in which
a field of So men is due to start.
Zatopek is supreme. He is the
holder of the Olympic record of
I29:59.6, and of the world record
of 29:02.6. This 33-year-old
wonder runner is also aiming at
the 5000 meters and the mara
thon, an amazing triple.
Unless Zatopek gets knocked
down in the traffic rush he should
win the 10000 going away. Op-
position, however, might come
from a formidable Russian, Mkt
for Popoff, from the great Bel
gian, CASTOR Reiff, or from the
Frenchman, Alain Mimoun. Much
improved Curtis Stone is the chief
American hope.
Trials in the 100 meters may
serve to determine whether the
United States can continue its
domination of this event. McDon-
aid Bailey of Great Britain ap-
pears to be the outstanding threat.
but the Russians claim a potential
champion in Vladimir Soukharev.
The American trio is Art Bragg
Of Morgan State, Lindy Remigino
Of Manhattan. and Dean Smith of
Texas. Two rounds of trial heats
will be run, with the semifinals
and finals on Monday.
Whitfield Defends Title.
The 800 meters brings another
defending Olympic champion to
the track-Mal Whitfield of the
United States. Following tomor-
rows trial heats, the semiflnals
will be run Monday and the finals
on Tuesday. John Barnes of Oc-
cidental and Reggie Pearman of
New York University are the
(see oLYMPIcs. Page B-2.)
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