SCHOOLBOY ATHLETES.

Auckland Star, Volume LXII, Issue 87, 14 April 1931, Page 9

SCHOOLBOY ATHLETES.

BATTLE OF THE COLLEGES. TO-MORROW'S TRACK CONTESTS. THE FOURTH CHAMPLIONSHIPS. ' The fourth annual championship meeting of the Auckland Secondary Schools' Association will be held at the Domain to-morrow afternoon. A renewed interest in athletics has been a feature of the present summer, and the quickened interest in the sport should be reflected by a largo attendance at tomorrow's sports, where quite a number of embryo national champions will be on parade. The pupils of the secondary schools of Auckland are being carefully trained, and those responsible may feel satisfied that their efforts are showing splendid results. A survey of the performances registered Avill convince even hardened old-timers that the preeentday schoolboy is the equal of his predecessors. One hundred yards open records have been this autumn broken at King's College and Takapuna Grammar, ..equalled at Mouu£ Albert Grammar, and various- intermediate ■ records have been 'broken at all the * schools. This distance was covered at A.G.S. jn 10 3-ss, but a week previously at the Auckland provincial championships the same runner, W. Roberts, covered the distance in 10 l-ss. R. G. Eade was responsible for the same time at Takapuna Grammar. It must be admitted that it takes a good boy to better eleven seconds, and yet it has been done this season at every school and by more than one runner on each occasion. The above time, 10 l-ss, is an exceedingly good one. ■■■■

The present Australian schoolboy record is 10s, but this stands to *he credit of J. Carlton, Australia's crack sprinter, who ran this time at the sports of the great public schools of Sydney. The same runner was also responsible for 23s in x the 220 yards while at school. The Auckland times have been this season between 23 2-5s and 245. Roberts, of A.G.S., Avas credited with 23 2-os, and Richardson, of King's, with 23 3-ss. Probably the outstanding 220 yards time is that of P. C. Spittal, of A.G.S., who, in the under 15 years event, covered the distance in 23 3-ss, a remarkable time for a boy of this age. Mount Albert Grammar has a "fine quaftcr-miler in T. C; Sawers, who at the provincial championships was timed at 53 1-06. This is reckoned by enthusiasts to be the best junior'performance over this distance for many years. Probably the most astounding'performance by a schoolboy is that of JL G. Eade, of Takapuna Grammar, who, at the open championship meeting, won the 880 yards in 2.1 1-5, easily defeating older and more experienced runners. The best mile to date this season, 4.49, stands to the credit of W. A. Briggs, of Mount Albert Grammar. This school also possesses.a stylish hurdler in T. C. Sawers, who should develop into a Dominion champion. His time of .15 3-5s for 120 yards hurdles (3ft) is extremely fine and betters any Australian time for this event. Carnachan (15 4-os), of Auckland Grammar, is also a line hurdler.

In the jumping events, the most outstanding performer is H. S. Richardson, who can clear over 21ft. The record for the mile relay, 3.55 4-5, is held by the King's College team of 1925, but several schools ( are confident of beating that time this year. Performances of equal merit are to be found among the the most outstanding being that of P. C. Spittal, of A.G.S., who, in the under 10 years event covered 220 yards in 23 3-ss. All enthusiasts will admit, even after searching carefully the records of the "good old days," that the standard as shown by this year's schoolboy is higher than it has ever been-before. There are three grades of competition —open, under 16 years, and" under 14* years—and the.points won by the various schools are totalled, to find the champion school for the year. Kinds' College won the senior championship in 1925. and 1929, Mount Albert Grammar last year. The junior competition has been won-by Mount Albert Grammar (1928), Auckland Grammar (1929) and King's College (1930).. The schools wi -be present to a boy,- and runners will not lack encouragement.