ATHLETICS.

Auckland Star, Volume XL, Issue 205, 28 August 1909, Page 14

ATHLETICS.

Next year may see Dorando, of Olympic Marathon fame, in Australia. He ig already engaged to run in various countries up till March next, and be is meditating a descent on South Africa and Australia later on. This week Dorando returned to Milan from the United States with seven gold medals and £4000, which he won in 23 Taces. Dorando says his perfection depends upon hie maintaining the weight of 1231b, neither more nor less, to Which end he has abstained altogether from intoxicating drinks. He lives on a diet of meat, broth, and eggs, and allows himself coffee. The demands of the sporting world have driven him to forego the dream of settling at Carpi, his birthplace, and of marrying there the girl he was engaged to, and Whom he was to have wedded from the English Marathon Race last year. She is still a spinster, and Dorando is full of engagements of another sort. For tho next two years he has postponed all idea of marriage.

"I am just taking a couple of months' holiday," he said, "and in September go to London, whence in November I leave for New York again. At the beginning of the new year I have to turn up in California, and am due in Buenos Ayroe in March. I am deluged with proposals for the future from all parts of the world, but I shall probably give my preference to South Africa and Australia."

The result of the Australasian championships is another clear proof of tho superiority of the athletes of the Dominion over the rest of Australasia, and considering that we were only represented by about half our full strength, the re suits are doubly gratifying. W. A. Woodger recorded a couple of sterling performances, and the fact tnat he eucoeeded in defeating the great Barker is clear proof that he is in the first flight of amateur sprinters. Probably excuses will be made that Barker was not up to his best form, but the Sydney crack 'could not have been much below par, as he succeeded in the 440 yards championship in the splendid time of 50 2-ssecs. Woodger is the first New Zealander to hold the Australasian championship of 100 yards and 220 yards. H. E. Kerr retained his title as the premier Australasian walker, winning both the one and three miles walks, while G. P. Keddell equalled the performances of the Aucklanders, W. H. Martin in 1890 and G. W. Smith in 1901 and 1904, by winning *both hurdle races. M. Piekson fulfilled expectations in winning the three-miles running in the record time for the event of 15m. 21 4-ssec ; while L. M. McKay succeeded in making a dead neat of the pole jump, clearing 10ft, 3in., which is lOjin. worse than his last year"s record of lift. liin. Altogether the team have exceeded the most sanguine expectations, and are to be congratulated on their successes- Of tho six contests held since the formation of the Union in 1899, New Zealand have been premiers on four occasions, while Victoria and New South Wales have held the honour on one occasion each,

A record :vas scored as regards the sale of programmes at the recent English A.A.A. championships, no less than £112 being taken from this source, while-the gate amounted to £804.