The Word from Home

Not since 1946 had Russian track & field stars appeared in international competition west of the Iron Curtain. After the Oslo games that year, where they won six events, the Russians withdrew from the 1948 Olympics. Last week, with an eye on the Helsinki Olympics in 1952, the Russians sent a planeload of 40 athletes to Brussels for the 23-nation European track & field championships. In action, they looked pretty good.

They even looked good when their 400-meter relay team came in a close second to the British in a qualifying heat. Then they began to sound more like Russians at Lake Success. The British, it seemed, had changed lanes, so they had to be disqualified. But the British protested; everyone had changed lanes, they said. Officials agreed, ordered the heat rerun. "Nyet!" cried the Russians; they would walk out of the meet rather than re-run a heat they had already won. Finally, the Soviet Embassy made a concession: "We will contact Moscow immediately for instructions." Next day the word came from home: Moscow had decided to be agreeable. Thereupon, the heat was rerun, and the Russians won it handily.

Team winner as the games ended this week: Russia, with 112 points. Runner-up: Britain, with 108. The final event: the 400-meter relay. Russia won it.

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