AMATEUR ATHLETICS.

Auckland Star, Volume LXXII, Issue 69, 22 March 1941, Page 5 (Supplement)

AMATEUR ATHLETICS.

A POPULAR FIXTURE. St. Patrick's Day Meeting In Review. (By MKLAXIOX.) pROHABLY the oldest established sports meeting in Auckland, tile St. rat-rick's Day Carnival conducted annually by the Auckland Amateur Athletic Club always draws "old-timers" to wilress the racing. Three in particular were there on Saturday, Tommy Roberts. A. -T. Patrick and TL Oliphant, all old New Zealand champions. They, with others, witnessed some really good racing, rimes were good, the sprint track on the Domain, as is usual after rain, being very fast. An Auckland junior championship was decided at the meeting—-the pole \ault. The sole entrant, W. Heron (Papakura) had only to clear the bar to take the title, but he did this in no uncertain fashion, and his filial height was Oft A in, 3Ain less than the winning jump at the New Zealand championship a week earlier. This was Heron's first open competition in the pole vault, and his win should give him encouragement. A well-built boy, lie is also a giwxl high juniper. IT. A. Payne (Auckland) scored a fine double with the 440 yards and SSO yards. Off short marks in both races' he made up his handica.ps early and then timed his finishes to perfection. Pavne is probably the '"headiest" runner in Auckland. and his wins arc a credit to his judgment and fitness. A junior from Lyimdale, R. Metieehan. made an excellent effort to win a double. lie ran a fine second to the Auckland Club man in the half mile, then later in the day won the mile. In this race the limit man. O. h. If uglier, (Lynndalc) appeared to have the race won, after lining his start to good advantage, but McOeohan kept u_p his challenge, and by a really splendid sprint beat Hughes by a small margin over the line.

With 22 seconds in his heat and only a fifth slower in the final of the 220 yards Harry Emus (Lynndale) deserves praise for his fine sprinting. This race was run on the lonjr straight starting at the Newmarket end of the ground and this factor appeared to upset some runners nut used to the apparently never ending sprint. In the 100 yards Emus, for once in a while, was slow away and hemisscd qualifying for the final, a race which was won by the Ellewlie man, J. Green, who was aiso placed second in the quarter mile. This latter run was reallv more meritorious than his win as lie was off a fairly short mark and he came along really well over the last fiftv yards to head off all but the winner. Ron Agate (Buckland), who has been off form of late, ran better than he has done for some time, his second to Ennin in the furlong being more like his usual running, and, in fact, he appeared to be gaining on the Lynndale man over the last 20 yards. A contingent of Tauranga athletes competed at the sports and C. K. Rawsell, off tight marks, caught the eye in the sprints. A nuggety little runner

ho filled third place, in both 100 yards and 220 yards, but was successful in the broad jump. This by Jin on handicap!

Only too soJdoni are hurdle events featured on programmes by clubs, and tin* Auckland Club is to be. commended for staging the three events for men and one for women, the usual championship nmnlicr. Their enterprise received fair support, live in the 1-0 yards, ten in the 220 yards, live in t lie 440 yards and live in the women's so metres. Of all the athletic events the-o probably thrilled the public most. -1. \. Devcich ( Taiirnnga) former junior champion, hurdled nicely to win t iie 120 yard* event, after giving up to 10 yards >lart. Over -20 yards ho found X. W. 1 bom (Lniveivitv) too fa.-t for liiiu. Thotn is developing into a splendid all round athlete. One of the few secondary school "r-tars" who has seriously taken on athletics as a sport, he has developed into our best jumper, a tip-top hurdler and a really good sprinter. The quarter mile hurles t«»un<l ;i surprise winner in the veteran H. Levy, .»f .Mount Albert. Off :i() yards he was never beaded, and ho kept the field moving at a lively pace, hurdling well and sprinting the last twenty yards in great style. A highly popular win for one of the best sportsmen in the game.

The field events produced little competition of high standard with the exception of the broad jump, in which X. \V. Thom leapt 22ft 2in—real NewZealand senior class.

Tlio ladies' races produced tight finishes with Miss M. Davey (Auckland) scoring a first and a sccond. This runner has started to show improvement, and with care and steady training next season may well develop into one of our back markers. A popular win to another Auckland Club runner was that of Miss (1. Kllis in the 75 yards. She is a most conscientious supporter of meetings and while she has consistently <|Ualilied for finals, has been infrequently placed ill the iinal decision. Of the back markers Miss Doris Hindman (Eastern Suburbs) was the most prominent and she nearly got the decision in the 100 yards, inches only separating the first three. Miss M. (; rind rod (Otahuhu) had her revenge on Miss Elshaw (Mount Albert) for the latter's win in the Xew Zealand SO metres hurdles race at Wanganui. From 10 yards behind both were on the mark together, but Miss Elshaw was slowest away and this slight distance was all that separated the pair at the finish, both runners completely outclassing the field. It was interesting to note the great improvement that has occurred in Miss Elshaw's flighting of

the hurdles—she needs to concentrate on her starting with plenty of sprint races to smarten up her runuing between the flights. Next summer should see some great racing between her and Miss 'irindrod and the Xew Zealand record may well rcceivc a nasty shake.