ATHLETICS.

Auckland Star, Volume XLII, Issue 194, 16 August 1911, Page 7

ATHLETICS.

The N.Z. cross-country championship decided last Saturday was a huge success, and the secretary of the Auckland centre, Mr. H. Frost, who practically carried out all the arrangements singlehanded, is to be congratulated on his efforts, which had such a successful ending. The course, although a bit faster than the Wellington men were accustomed to, was a true cross-country one, and the visitors expressed their pleasure with the arrangements made and the conducting of the race, which were in every way satisfactory to the competitors. The Otago centre had the honour of carrying off the provincial championship, and the team as a whole ran splendidly, their experience in this class of race standing them in good stead. J. Beatson was their star performer, and he was unlucky in bumping up against the local crack, U. X. Hill, one of the finest long-distance runners ever seen is the Dominion, and certainly the finest that Has ever represented Auckland. Beatson has now the unenviable distinction of having run second in the last three New Zealand championships, a heart-breaking record. The Wellington team failed to gather in any of the plums, and were evidently bothered by the pace Bet by Hill and Beatson. On a slower course, such as they are accustomed to, they would probably show to more advantage. Hillclimbing seems to be their strong suit, and there was not enough of this class of country for their liking, in the race under notice. The Auckland team was hardly strong enough for the Southerners as a team, G. X. Hill, of course, was an exception, while C. Rcid also made a good showing. Some excuse can be advanced for Ornstein, as he hurt his knee badly at the water-jump, but Jones and McCollura were disappointing, the former especially so as he was beaten after they had gone two miles. McCollum is young, and experience will do a lot for him.

The honours of the race were with (J. X. Hill, and he once more proved his right to the proud title of the champion distance runner of the Dominion. The performance of the Auckland crack is all the more meritorious as, during the week he was suffering from an ulcerated throat and cold, and as late as Friday evening there were doubts about his being able to run; but he recovered sufficiently to turn out, and the result is now history. As a distance runner, Hill is at present without equal in the Dominion, and he will be a fitting representative for this little corner of the earth at the Olympic games, next year. I don't know what is being done towards getting a team together for the games, but I want to impress upon the Auckland Amateur Athletic Club that Hill has got to go, if he is the only Xew Zealand representative. While on the subject of Hill's running, a short sketch of his running career should be of interest.

At fourteen years of age he started by winning the College steeplechase, and during his Btay at the school won all the distance events till he left, in 1008. In 1907, at the Auckland Amateur Athletic Club sports, be created a sensation by winning the Secondary Schools mile championship by 150 yds., in 4.30 4-5., which is a record for schools and colleges of the British Empire. In 1900, while still a schoolboy, he succeeded in winning the N.Z. Marathon race from Howick to the Domain promoted by the Auckland Amateur Athletic Club, in Hi. 18m., defeating a large field which included representatives from all over New Zealand. In April of the same year he won a mile flat race at Eden Park in 4m. 30 2 55., and on October B the five miles championship of Auckland in 87m. 30 l-ss. In November, 1000, he won the half-mile in 2m. 4 2-as., and the mile flat in 4m. 475. at the A.A. and A.C. Spring Meeting (the track on being measured, waa found to be 38 yards over the mile).

At the N'.Z. Champions-hip Meeting, held in Auckland on February 26, miO, —which, by the way, was his 19th birthday—he competed at his first champion-s-hip meeting, winning the mile in pouring rain in 4m. 35 2-55., running second, later in the afternoon, to J. Beatson in the three-mile championship. April 2, 1910, saw him successful in a 1000 yards handicap from scratch in 2m. 24 l-55., and on March 11 of the following year lie won the three-miles handicap from the back mark in 15m. 48 4-sg.

A week later he attended his second championship meeting, which was held at Christchureh, putting the seal on his fame by winning the mile by 30 yards, in 4m. 25 4-55., and on the same day the three miles by 72 yards in 14m. 53 2-55., both these times being the fastest yet registered at a N.Z. championship meeting. In the latter' event he defeated Miles Dixon, the present Australasian champion.

His latest successes were the Auckland five-mile cross-country championship, on August 5, and the X.Z. five-miles crosscountry championship on Saturday last, and ho has now the proud distinction of holding all the N.Z.A.A.A. long-distance championships in the one year, an honour never yet held by any other runner in the Dominion.