ATHLETICS.

Auckland Star, Volume XXXIII, Issue 8, 10 January 1902, Page 6

ATHLETICS.

ATHLETIC CHAMPIONSHIPS.

THE AUSTRALASIAN MEETING.

The Australasian Championship Meeting, held on the Domain Cricket Ground Friday and Saturday, December 20 and 21, under the auspices of the Amateur Athletic Union of Australasia, was undoubtedly a great gathering, and will be remembered by all who were present as affording a very fine exhibition of athletic prowess. The colonies represented were New Zealand, New South Wales, Victoria, and Queensland, and although the full strength of these colonies was not present, yet the entries were very representative. New Zealand retained the championship honours won at the previous meeting in Brisbane in 1899, securing eight firsts. New South Wales and Victoria were second with three firsts, and Queensland wtts last with one first. Some very fine performances were recorded, standards being constantly beaten. The hero of the meeting was W. F. Simpson, of Canterbury, who in the three-mile run won in the splendid time of 14min 49sec, coming in GOO yards ahead of Blake, of Victoria. This constitutes an Australasian record, beating J. Burk's time of 15min 27 l-ssec, which previously stood as the record. Simpson also won the mile in hollow fashion, in the fine time of 4mln 28 2-ssec, on a fairly heavy track, against a strong wind. Simpson at the end of the three-mile event was accorded a tremendous reception by the 5000 people present. In the half-mile, D'Arcy Wentworth, of Queensland, won in the splendid time of lmin 59 l-ssec, which equals the Australasian record. The 100 yards event went to Moir, of Victoria, in lOsec, and this runner also won the 220 yards event in 23 l-ssec. G. W. Smith, of Auckland, had no difficulty in accounting for both the hurdle races. The 120 yards event he won in 15 4-ssec, which constitutes an Australasian record, but as he had the assistance of a strong wind the record will not stand. The longer race he accounted for in 59sec, just l-ssec worse than the world's record held by Holder, of Wanganui. Smith won somewhat easily and might have improved on his figures if he had been pushed. Oxlade, of New South Wales, accounted for the 440 yards flat in 52 4-ssec. D. Wilson, the Aucklander, accounted for both of the walking events, beating the standard handsomely in each case. The field events generally were not up to the standard of the others. The long jump went to H. H. Hunter, of Victoria (20ft s_in), but In this event unfavourable conditions prevailed. The high jump was won by C. C. Laurie, of Auckland, who cleared sft 51n. Harper, of Christchurch, was the only other competitor. W. O'Reilly, of New South Wales, was unopposed in the hammer and shot events. He threw the hammer 129 ft 6Mn, and put the weight 41ft. Laurie was also unopposed in the pole jump, and succeeded in clearing 10ft.