AMATEUR ATHLETICS.

Auckland Star, Volume LVII, Issue 142, 17 June 1926, Page 11

AMATEUR ATHLETICS.

ROSE IN ENGLAND. NEW ZEALAND NEWS. AUSTRALASIAN CHAMPIONSHIPS. The fact that R. A. Rose was hopelessly out of the hunt in the special mile handicap at the Civil Service sports at Stamford Bridge on Saturday last need not cause much concern out here. Either the handioapper formed an exaggerated opinion of the Maorilander's capabilities or else was over-generous in the allocation made to Driver, who won in 4.17 4-ss. Probably it was a combination of both. Considering the state of the track the winner's time must have been equal to something like a 4.14 or 4.15 gait, and that is getting pretty close to world class, as far as the slower English tracks are concerned. Rose has certainly done 4.13 2-5, but it is a bit too soon to expect him to repeat the dose on a strange track with no one to pull him along, before he has become properly acclimatised to English conditions. This well-known sports ground just out of London is anything but a recordbreaker's paradise, and these facts have all to be weighed before an opinion can be formed of how Rose is shaping for the harder that lie before him. The mere fact that he had to run the first quarter on his own in 60 4-ss, and then was unable to make any impression on the field, is sufficient to show that he was faced with a well nigh impossible task. The New Zealand team for the Australian and New Zealand amateur athletic championships will leave Wellington by the Ulimaroa on July 30 en route for Sydney. After a sea trip of 1200 miles they will have a train journey of 715 miles before them before they reach the scene of action at Brisbane. As the big Antipodean gathering commences on August 14, it can be Been that, they will not have much time to stretch their legs before the serious business of the trip commences in earnest. Added to this, Shirley, Lay, and Cahot are at the disadvantage of having had to do their training under winter conditions, a factor which does not affect to the Bame extent the athletes of New South Wales and Queensland, who may be expected to constitute the major portion of the representation at the Labour State capital. Shirley, in particular, has a formidable programme in front of him, but he has been in such splended all-round form during the past season that he can be expected to worthily uphold New Zealand's end of the stick. In addition to the jumps and hurdles, he is scheduled to compete in the decathlon, which represents the hall mark of all round proficiency. This is a 10-event competition, the details of which are as follow: 100 metres flat, running broad jump, putting the 161b shot, running high jump, 400 metres flat, 110 metres hurdles, throwing the discus, pole vault, throwing the javelin, and 1500 metres flat. The competitor who scores the highest number of points wins the title of decathlon champion. No doubt, with such a heavy list of events all told, the Aucklander may consider it advisable to let go some of those in which he can scarcely hope to secure first place; for instance, the open championship hurdles and perhaps one or two of the decathlon events. In the meantime, however, this must be largely a matter for speculation, and our New Zealand champion will be in a better position to determine his line of action when he reaches the scene of action, and is able to get some idea of the calibre of i the competition opposed to him in the I different events for which he has been nominated.

There is a distinct possibility that the little band of New Zealanders will have an addition to their ranks before they set out on their journey across the Tasman. Auckland's three-mile champion, W. Savidan, is such a keen enthusiast that he is prepared to pay his own expenses if nominated by the council. A letter ha 3 been received by the Auckland centre from Mr. L. A. Tracy, secretary of the New Zealand Council, who writes on behalf of the selection committee for the championships, asking for Savidan's performances during the past season. These have been sent forward, and the matter now lies with the committee. Savidan, it may be mentioned, ran consistently well during the season which recently closed, and, although defeated by T. M. Wilson in the Auckland mile championship, he ran away with the three-mile event. He" finished second to Lloyd Hahn in the mile handicap on January 23, being beaten by eight yards off 24yds in 4m 28s. On March 13 Hahn won by eight yards from G. Kells (40yds), with Savidan (30yds) another eight yards further back; time, 4m 225. Good judges contend that since that time Savidan has improved in style and speed by shortening his stride, which had previously been regarded as overlengthy, and on March 20 he was defeated by inches in a half-mile event, run in 2m 3 3-ss, and later in the day was beaten in a mile by two yards in 4m 33 4-ss. Savidan finished up the season on April 1 by winning a 600 yds handicap off three yards in lm 18 3-ss. running clean away from the others in what was undoubtedly one of the best performances he has ever put up. Although overshadowed by that brilliant pair, Rose and Hahn, he would have been about good enough for a New Zealand championship in an ordinary year. That it is a bad time for promising distance men to come on the scene is further indicated by the fact that, with Hyde running so brilliantly in Australia, he could scarcely be expected to defeat the brilliant little Victorian, whose admirers claim that he would give Rose something to think about over a mile or three miles. Savidan, however, is young, keen and promising, and the experience on the Other Side would be of great value to him. If he should have the good fortune to secure the official imprimatur of the N.Z.A.A.A., it goes without saying that he would worthily represent the Dominion at the Brisbane gathering. The fact of New Zealand being called on so often to send teams across to Australia draws attention to the inequitable nature of the present arrangement. Under it, the Australian States and New Zealand are on the same footing, which means that New Zealand gets the gathering one year, and then has to wait for quite a number of years until New South Wales, Victoria, Queensland, Tasmania and South Australia have had their turns at intervals of every two years,

Two years hence the championships will be held in New Zealand. But the Dominion has not had them since 1911. This illustrates how inequitably the present arrangement operates. Since New Zealand was granted separate status at the Olympic Games after being under the wing of Australia, for so long, there has been % growing body of opinion in this part of the world that

the present arrangement for these biennial gatherings should be replaced by something less disadvantageous to . the Dominion. Not that there is any feeling of antagonism to Australia, which has been like a big brother to New Zealand in matters athletic, but the feeling is that it is up to. the Dominion to think about paiddling its own canoe, and to show that the Olympic Games recognition was no empty honour, in addition to the all-important matter of expense Under the.present arrangement.

Next Saturday week the Auckland Amateur Athletic and Cycling Club will inaugurate a series of winter meetings. Among the events to be decided will be various jumps, putting the shot, throwing, the javelin, discus and hammer, and all amateur athletes, members of any affiliated club, are invited to compete. J. W. Shirley and W. Savidan will be amongst the competitors. The following extracts from a letter in diary form from Rose's indefatigable trainer and travelling companion, J. W. McHolm, refer to their trip through the United States:— 9/5/26 and 10/5/26.—At New York. Saw Mr. Rubein (secretary-treasurer of the A.A.A.), and presented greetings from New Zealand. Went to Travers Island, the famous grounds belonging to the New York Athletic Club. Mat. McGrath looked after us there. I had a workout and instruction from him. He can just throw that hammer a long way and then some, as they say here. But apart from his athletic ability, he is certainly a fine chap. Rose had a run on the track, which is clay and cinders. The effort was nothing serious—just a run round. The watchers considered Rose's style fine. Also met Sherrel, polevaulter. He has vaulted 13ft sin, and bis record has only been beaten by Charles Hoff, who, by the way, is under a cloud just now for refusing to go to San Francisco to compete. At present it looks as if his future engagements in America will be cancelled, but, of course, he is a great attraction, and I am of opinion that he will be allowed to continue after a reprimand or some such censure.

11/5/26. —Have had a wire from Mr. Krogness, saying he was not able to come down to New York. The great idea seems to be to get Rose to stay here and run at the championships. As such i 3 not going to be the case, they lose a bit of interest; at least, that is the impression I get of it. We are both feeling well, and I am sure it will not take Rose long to get into shape when he gets down to it. He now has a "sweat suit," a la Jackson Scholz.