ATHLETIC CHAMPIONSHIP MEETING.

Auckland Star, Volume XXVI, Issue 308, 30 December 1895, Page 2

ATHLETIC CHAMPIONSHIP MEETING.

(BY TELEGRAPH—FBESS ASSOCIATION.

Curistchukch, this day. The seventh Annual Athletic Champion* ship Meeting was held ab Lancaster Part on Saturday afternoon. The day was hot. with a light breeze which freshened a little ab times, and everything was favourable fop good performances. The sporb, however, was rather tame, as mosb of the events could be picked beforehand, and there were few close finishes. For some time not even one standard was beaten, bub this was eventually accomplished in the Pole au& Long Jump, and the Quarter-mile Huidiee. and equalled in the Quarter Flat. In the Quarter Hurdles Roberts, of Auckland, repeated bis previous world's record of 61eec. The mosb admired runner of the day was young Bennett, a lad of 20, from Danedin, who carried the Mile and the Three-mile io excellent times with the greatest ease. It him and Low the Southerners possess a finepair of runners, who will make things merry for the Australians nexb week. Had Bennett been pushed he would probably hay& established a new record for the colony in the mile* The arrangements wort complete, and the events were gob offfaidj promptly, bub the starting was nob good, Mr Webb keeping the men too long oc the mark. The attendance was not ujto expectations, being at the Gutsidf only 1,500. As was expected, Canterbury won the banner. Both this province, and Dunedin scored five firsts, and Auckland four, bub Canterbury secured the largest number of seconds and thirds, nni came out on top with 53 points ; Dunedin; 38 ; Auckland, 29 ; Wellington, 14 ; Wanganui, 7£i; Nelson, 4i ; West Coast, 1. One ot the few surprises of the day was^H. N. Reeves's defeat in the 250Yd8 by Kingston. Reeves had done the distance in a aecond or more less in his trials, but collapsed when challenged, and could barely gob second. Low, for the third year in succession, won both the Quarter and Half Mile. The following are the details :—

100 Yards. — Kingston and Hayward won the first heat in 11 l-sbh sec ; Patrick and Robinson the second, in 10 3-sbh cc*,. Keiuptoa was scratched. In the final, Kingston got away badly, and finished behind Robinson, Canterbury, aud Patrick, Wellington. It was evident from tht Dunedin man's running in the 250 Yds alter* wards, he.would have had a big Bay in tbic avont; bub lor his bad start. Robineotonly beab Patrick by C inches, the closes? finish of the whole day. Time, 10 3-sbt 800.

Half-mile Flat.—Low, Dunedin, lj Grierson, Canterbury, 2 ; Stuart, Welling* ton, 3. These were the only starters. Ths champion lay behind bill 200 yds from home, when he ran to the front, and yon rather eaeily by syds. Stuart was quits outpaced. Time, 2min 4sec,

High Jump.—Brown, Canterbury, 5 feeb 6J inches ; Bailey, Wanganui, 5 feet 5J inches ; Weatenra, 5 feeb 5J inches. Kingsley also competed, bub failed at 5 feet 4$ inches. Bailey and Westerira tied for second place, and the former won the jump off. Bailey explained his unexpected defeat) by the fact that the light dazzled him, and be could nob see the bar properly.

Mile Walk. —Creamer, Auckland, 1 j Maxwell, Dunedin, 2. Creamer rfent of) with the lead, and came in 100 yards ahead of Maxwell. Smithson, Canterbury, the only other competitor, spurted to get second place, bub broke and was disquali fied. Time, 7min 10 l-sfch sec.

120 Yards Hdkdles. — Martin and Harloy won the first heat, 17sec, beating Cole and Bailey; Moore and Roberts woa she second in 16 4-sth sec. Piercey alec ran. Martin, Auckland, 1 ; Moir, Canter* bury, 2 ; Roberta, Auckland, 3. Moir rau very determinedly, bub Auckland gob in front; ab tho last hurdle but one, and won by nearly two yards. Roberta was a bad third. Time, 16 3-uth sec.

Throwing the Hammer.—Brown, Canterbury, 89ft bin ; Louisson, Canterbury, S3tb 6in ; VVachsmann, Canterbury, "?&!t 2in. Rhodes, Wellington, was scratched, preferring to keep himself for the weight putting. This m&de a gift of ten points to Canterbury, bub the throwing was poor, being a long way under the standard. »

250 Yds Flat.—Broad and Kingston won the first heat in 27 2-ssec, Robinson thirdj H. M. Reeves and Raich won the second ie 27 3-ssec, Patrick third. Reeves won Bfr easily ho looked a certainty for the final, bub 15yds from home Kingston dashed cc the front. Reeves spurted bub could nov stick to the Dunedinite, who, to ths surprise of all, maintained his lead and wot by half a yard, Broad close up third. Bslct did not finish. Time, 27 4 saec.

One Mile Flat.—Bennett, Dunedin, lj Clark, Cantorbury, 2 ; O'Connor, Auckland, 3. This brought out seven men, the other* being Davies, Bell, Wood and Thomas. In the third lap Bennett worked his way to fcha front, and followed by Clark led the rcrab^o? the distance. Two hundred yards from the tape Clark made an effort, but the Dunedin champion drew away with ease, and won bj 10yds in the fine time of 4min 31 3 sth sec. The winner, who is a small-looking Blight built lad, was warmly applauded.

Pole Jump.—Tbe only competitors wer( Kingaley, Wanganui, and Hunter, Nelson They tied ab IOEb sin, which is five inche? above the standard, and then attempted to surmount 10fc7in, which would have be&tei the New Zealand record. After five attempts each both failed, and agreed w divide the prizes.

Three-mile Walk.—Thia waaagifbtf Creamer, who beat his only rival, Waxwell« by more than a lap, nearly 600yda. Time, 23min 59 3-sth sec.

Putting Weight.—Rhodes, Wellington,35ft> 9,in, 1; Louiesou, Canterbury, Z3B lOin, 2; Brown, Canterbury, 32fc 2in, 5 The best of these was fifteen inches beloy. the standard.

Quartek - mile Hurdles. — Roberta Auckiaud, 1; Martin, Auckland, 2; E Barley, Canterbury, 3. Moir, Canterbury, also ran, bub wa3 qirite oub of it. Th< Auckland pair led from the jump, aud tbj most Harley could do was to make a fait spurt ab the finish, which soon died away. Roberts won by four yarde, and bad n. made more speed would have created a dot. record for the world. Time, olsec.

Three-mile Flat.—Bennett, Dunedia 1; Bell, Wellington, 2; Hawthorne. Wei lington, 3. This event brought on: another good field of seven, Davis, O'Con nor, D. Wood and Thomas aleo facing the starter. Most ■'■ them, however, found the pace too hot. \\ uod disappeared after t'o6 first mile, and Thuman shortly after. At the beginning of the fifth lap, Bennett deprived Bell of the lead. Davis put* o» t. spurt and ran into She front, but* pumped himself and fell out. O'Connor aleo found the going too good for him, and at the begaining of the sixth lap Bennett, Be}' and Hswthorne alone were left in. In thit I order they ran the remaining lops, but the Dunedin lad was going with a beautiful stride and easy swing that betokened something out) of the common. 801 l stuck gamely to him, but in the end was left 15 yards behind, the same distance between the two Wellington men. Tiros, 15min 30 3-sth Bee, only 3-sth sec «bove the standard. As before, the youngster's Per" formance was warmly applauded. Long Jump.—Cuff, Canterbury, won thil with the good peri'oriranca of 20 feet 7j inches, which ia little above the standard. Piercey, Canterbury, was second, with 2f feet 2 inches ; and F. Macassey, Duoedin, third, with 18 feet 9 inches. Broome, Wellington, and Moir, Canterbury, also, competed, bub their best waa 18 feot < inches^ Macaeaey was at a disadvantage, having an injured foob, and in the last jump he sprained ib again, and had to b( carried ofl the ground. Tha lasb item on the programme was tot Quarto-mile SlmL —Low, DuaedWi U

Balcb, Canterbury, 2 ; Mowbray, 3. Thomson, Stuart, Gnerson, and Bassefcb also ran. An uneven start gava Stuart'and Low a lead of some yards, Grierßon and obhera being lefb on the mark. Grierson made a good effort), bub could never caroh Low, who mainbained his advantage and won by six yards. Balch ran into second place in the last few yards; and Grierson and Stuart, fallen back beaten, allowed Mowbray to score a Bolitary point in favour of the West Coast. Time, 52sec, which is the standard, and 1 3-sth sec below the record.