ATHLETICS.

Auckland Star, Volume XLVI, Issue 68, 20 March 1915, Page 17

ATHLETICS.

A. F. Thorpe, who last year proved to be Australasia's best mile runner, was responsible for a fine performance at Pratten Turk, Ashfield, when the first half of the State amateur athletic championships were decided. In winning the quarter-mile championship of New South Wales he badly upset the accepted notions of many of our best-known sprint runners by making the "quarter"—or the greater part of the journey—a. real sprint. His opponents did not have the necessary stamina to attempt to go the pace over the first half of the journey. One watchholder made Thorpe cover the first furlong in a shade under 24sec At that point he was 20 yards ahead of a proved sprinter in Madeley. The latter ran one yard -worse than evens as recently as December last, and still retains most of his form. Much was expected of Thorpe, but it was not anticipated tltat be would out-distance his field. Easing off towards the finish, he won easily by about 12 yards, in 50 3-ssec. Ijess than half an hour later the Sonth Sydney champion romped in an easy winner in the one-mile championship.