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Delany wins 1,500 metres in brilliant style

TEIDT FOILED IN BOXING BID

For the first time in 24 years, the Irish Tricolour was raised at the Olympic Games when Ronnie Delany, the 21-year-old Arklow-born student, mounted the victor's rostrum in the Melbourne Stadium on Saturday, after a brilliant victory in the 1,500 metres. Delany's achievement, the best individual performance since Dr. Pat O'Callaghan and R.M.S. Tindall both won at Los Angeles in 1932, was the crowning achievement of an Irish team that covered itself with glory - and almost with medals.

Delany's victory in the 1,500 metres, against the world's best runners over the distance, was as convincing as it was unexpected. Although he had run well in his heat, contenting himself with qualifying, few of the experts expected him to win.

He confounded them all by running probably the best race of his life to beat Germany's Klaus Richtzenhain and John Landy effortlessly, while establishing new Olympic record figures for the distance. Delany ran his eleven rivals into the ground covering the 1,500 metres in 3:41.2

Before a roaring crowd of 110,000 shirt-sleeved fans, in ideal conditions, Delany lay back for the first two laps, as the lead alternated between Mervyn Lincoln, his Australian conqueror in the first round heat, and Richtzenhain. Lincoln led to the last lap, with Ian Boyd and Brian Hewson lying close behind, and Delany about fifth. Then, with about 300 metres to go, the Irishman let himself out.

Running on the outside to avoid any possible bumping, Delany passed successively Hewson, Landy, Lincoln and the German, who had taken the lead on the back stretch. On surged the Irishman to win going away from the German and the Australian, with over five yards to spare . . .

With Delany's thrilling win behind them, the Irish team ga thered en masse at the boxing stadium for Fred Teidt's bout with Rumanian welterweight, Linca. Hopes were high that Ireland would get a second gold medal and finish high in the nation's rankings. It was not to be, however. Teidt, as in the case of Freddy Gilroy was beaten by yet another extraordinary decision.

Teidt's superiority was never in doubt and at the final bell the raising of his arm seemed almost a formality. However, it was the Rumanian's arm which was raised to set off a full minute of catcalls, boos and derisive cheering from the crowd.

From Monday, Dec 3, 1956