AMATEUR ATHLETICS.

Auckland Star, Volume LXVI, Issue 236, 5 October 1935, Page 25

AMATEUR ATHLETICS.

the track season. AUCKLAND’S SPECIAL DUTY. DEFENCE OF ATHLETIC SHIELDS. trm-l- tiVe proparation for the approaching ■lthletes ; lS ° 11 aln i On!i both ehlbs and ■ind i S 110-'I 10 -' J 1? ? rdcr Auckland, and it is anticipated this year that when Dw Sl fl> On commences on Labour JJa the entries tor the various events Iff m i iU ' geP tl,an ever before. Realising jthe h’gh position that is held by Auckland -n-n A T’ ealand athletics, athletes rcally snort’thnnG ln T' C o “ thusi asm for their • port than they have in past years. Large lof The'TP! have ,.been the order at all .thoJiH- b 1,, . ec . t . 1n 8« held so far, ami tmt?, C y ‘“'beation that the revival l ist vp'. ’• Se? n thc A“el<land .standard fast je.u will be continued. Already a number of athletes are to be seen on the in Ih'ht t l acks . fb, 0 evenings indulging m light training. Starting early in the S will‘ n b d f loln 7 J‘ gl i ,fc and gradual trading uill b e f ound to bc luueh more , advan . h|T e< ?!'s f. 1 ”*' 1 tl,e method of leaving things t H. the last couple of months and then the‘ n week Vlg °Wkh7’ eaVly eV<? 7 llig,lfc o£ •itbiot CC n 1 ? 1 easy training an fit but "b } ,atU H lly t ? ke 10ngc? t 0 set ■ibln he advantage of being ba ‘<‘ -min g i“ Auckland athletes are sadly in need of Pi oper coaching, and with a view to improving matters in their own club .technical Old Boys have formed a coaching committee, comprising their , star men i the x anous events, whose duty it will b»i-= °t l , the less experienced meinbeis ot the club on the correct method.,. - l eie are comparatively few ex-champion athletes who turn out at the various training grounds during the week fo give advice to budding athletes, and there is no doubt that our standard woh'd certainly go still further ahead if any of these men would give their assistance. Ibis season Auckland athletes will have the difficult duty ot retaining the Provincial Championship Shield and the Oucensland Memorial Record Shield, which were so brilliantly won at Wanganui last -March, when they compete in the national tit e events at Dunedin, probably next February. Ihis alone will be a big incentive tor the local athletes to reach their best, but for a large number the prospect ot winning Olympic representation is going to be an incentive that may cause them to reach hitherto unexpected heights. In Auckland there are six athletes who on last year s form must, be given pruepeets, providing, of course, that they can again produce the same form. . W. S. Bainbridge is the national 220 yards and 440 yards champion and 220 yards New Zealand record holder, and he will be required to run something like 48 3-5 s for 440 yards to warrant his inclusion. His best time so far is 4.') 2-5 s for this distance, and as he did this time in a contest in which he appeared to have been capable of runnig a few yards faster the time should not be beyond him. If N. F. Cooper gained inclusion it would be for the 5000 metres and thc 10,000 metres, the New Zealand equivalents of which are the 3 miles and 6’/i miles. For these events he would have to break 14.30 for the shorter distance and do around 31.0 for. the longer. These times also should be quite possible, as he has done 14.34 for the 3 miles and 31.27 on thc : road for 614 miles. J. W. Savidan has strong claims for the marathon of 26 miles 385 yards, and there is no doubt that if he concentrates on this event and can get down to roughly 2h 40m for thc distance, he will be chosen. After his display at the national championships last March F. A. Finlayson has very definite claims for selection for the hurdle events, but he again will have to get down to some very fast times to warrant his inclusion. With his best time for the 220 yards hurdles at 25 3-ss, he will have to run about Uss faster in this event, while in the 440 yards hurdles he will have to get down to about 54s before he will meet with the selectors’ approval. H. R. Brainsby must agaiij be considered for selection for the hop. step and jump particularly, for although he tailed at the British Empire Games, there is no doubt about his class in this event. He. would be forced to do some consistent jumps of around 49ft to warrant, his inclusion. He is not the same brilliant exponent at. long jumping, but, nevertheless, he is a very capable exponent of this branch of the sport and is one who could quite possibly produce something sensational. Phil Hackett for the high jump is also an athlete quite capable of suddenly producing some class jumping. The fact that he has cleared 6ft l%in (a New Zealand record), using the old scissors style, is an indication of his ability, and as he is now trying to perfect the modern Eastern cut-off ‘ method, he may easily improve several inches on bis past best. A brilliant new athlete may easilj appear, of course, but at the present the above Aucklanders are the only ones with definite prospects of reaching Olympic definite prospects of reaching- Olympic as McFarlane, Fullan, Matthews and Broadway are but a few who are going to make strong bids for the greatest honour an athlete can obtain, and consequently the competition right throughout the country this season promises to rise to the very highest standard. PAPATOETOE CLUB. END OF ROAD SEASON. The winter road season of the Papatoetoe Amateur Athletic and Cycle Club was officially closed on Tuesday evening, wlien trophies and prizes for the winter road season were presented to the- winners at a dance and social evening which was held in the Public Hall, Papatoetoe. Ihe president of the club, Mr. R. McLeod, commented on the successful season the club had experienced and introduced Mr. W. J. Nicholson, chairman of the Papatoetoe Town Board, Mr. A. Civil, chanman of thc reserves committee, and Air. Edward, of the Auckland Professional C Mr Nicholson, who presented the prizes, congratulated the winners and said that the following the club had was shown by the large number present to see the cyclists and athletes carry oft their trophies. , , The fine performance of C. Cochrane, one of the sentor cyclists, is worthy of note. In his first season Cochrane started as a junior, later entering in the senior races, and was successful in attainin'’ the chili championship,, the unpaced championship, the highest seasons points and thc Papatoetoe Social Clubs cup. ■ In addition he was the most consistent starter during the season. winners were:—Senior cyclists: b. Unfold second highest points, second most consistent starter; O. White, runner-up unnaced fhainmonship. third highest points: C. W. Allen, runner-up club championship. Junior cyclists: C. Carter, Ivghest points; J. Picknell. junior championship; F. Irvine, runner-up .nmior championship, tied with .1 Picknell foi second highest points. Both the senior and the junior championships carry with them a Papatoetoe Tradesmen s Cup, and last vear’s holders were L. Foubister and V Bavlv. Harriers: S. Hnddoek,.highest points’(Distar Cup): R McKenzie, club ehamnion c hip. second highest Ppmts, French, th.’rd highest points; C. Littler, runner-up club championship.