J. O'CONNOR'S WALK AGAINST TIMS.

Auckland Star, Volume X, Issue 2890, 21 July 1879, Page 2

J. O'CONNOR'S WALK AGAINST TIMS.

TtiiS eVeilt took place ifl trie Lome-street hall oh Saturday evening. The attendance was small, the gallery being fairly filled, but the lower portion being but poorly patronised, this was no doubt owing to the affair not having been well advertised or billed., The course was round the main hall, through the door into the lodge room, and back through the upper door into the ball, 59i yards round. O'Connor essayed the taskof walking seven miles in o_e hour, and completed his work with 8 minutes 31 seconds to spare. The hour of starting was to have been S o'clock, but it was half hast 8 before the champion faced his mark. Mr. John Vandy, late on the reporting staff of " Bell's Life," keeping tally of the laps, and Messrs A. H. Cotter and E. N. R. Forder acting as time-keepers. On the appearance of O'Connor, Mr. Vandy informed the audience of the nature of the undertaking, and stated that though it had been done often enough in England within the hour on a cinder path, he was not aware of its being done in a hall, which latter was naturally a more difficult feat from the sharp turns and small size of the course. ' He then gave the word to go and the pedestrian Went off at a tremendous pace, being followed by Mr Cooper of the A.A.C., who soon found it too warm for his cpabilities, and gave place to J. Bryan, who in turn was relieved by J. Hill, these three picking the Champion up about every 6' laps for the whole distance. The first mile was done in G mm 35sccs, the first two in 13nnn. 15 sees, and soon ; with but little flagging, O'Connor spurt right up, the finish being terrific. At half distance he had 5 minutes to the good, and it was clearly seen that he could win easily. He kept pegging at it tithe last two or three laps when he spurted continuously to the finish, going over the ground at* a marvellous pace, and doing nothing but fair heel and toe walking, in fact, he never broke once all through, finishing as fresh as a rose in 51min 29Becs, a really splendid programme for a colonial ped. Were O'Connor to have the advantage of thorough ttaining and an ash path to walk on, he would make 8 miles in the hour look uncommonly small. It would not be a bad spec for his backer to take him up to Sydney at Ethibition time, when he might stand a shoy for a big event. Our local men have no teason to be ashamed of being beaten by luch an excellent performer.