ATHLETICS.

Press, Volume LXVII, Issue 20427, 23 December 1931, Page 13

ATHLETICS.

——♦ — ' BRITISH OLYMPIC TEAM. BRIGHT PROSPECTS. (FKXSS ISSOCUTIOH TXLZQBIJC.I , WELLINGTON, December 22. A suggestion, that if the New . Zea - land Amateur Athletic Association extended an invitation to an English universities athletic team to tour the Domiri'ion, it, probably would . be. accepted, was made to Mr C. S. .Thomas, of Christchurch, when he was in London. Mr Thomas returned' by " th® tilimaroa a tour o£ Great" Britain and France. Mr Thomas, who himself once com- " peted in • important athletic contests in New. Zealand, and . who has later v. been interested iir athletics in .Canterbury, said lie.had seen,the head of the Olympic Council, in. England, Mr E. Hunter, and had suggested that if the British Olymipic Games team got.away x • to Los Angeles it might come on to New Zealand and compete .at athletw meetings-in this country. Mr-Hunter, however, had replied/that .jthere was. very littlo chance of the Olympic: Games team being able to go on; to New jZealaVd, mainly because, of the difficulty in obtaining sufficient leave for the athletes. He had suggested the possibility of a universities'team making the tour, but had pointed out that such a tour would have -to be made during the universities' vacation, • in which case probably New. Zealand would he caught in the off season., and th<ye would *be little to. be gained in any athletic team making a tour; While he was in' England; - Mr Thomas attended the amateur; athletic championships at Stamford-Bridge.-and also the Harvard and-Yale v."'Oxford oad Cambridge Universities l ' tournament. He had gained the impression that if the British team could. gqt away to Los Angeles, it would prove difficult to beat in the track -events, although there undoubtedly would he v t a weakness in the field events. Ramp- . * ling, .Haiopson, and .-Thonjas, he . thought, would be- strong .competitors in their distances. Ramplinghad ticpie - , the quarter - mile ■in 48sec. Hampson probably would run the half mile in lmin 52sec, and" Thomas ' probably ( . could beat his own time of 4mm -IStsec -' . for thp mile. Lord .Burghley, was„ jsti 11 a force to be Reckoned with in the . 120 yards- hurdles event, but "he could not now last - out longer distances. The ' Army champion, Finlay,' was a first- : class hurdler, and had' " rml Lord Burghley to 1 within feet. for the * 150 ■yards event under 15sec. '», . CHRISTMAS DAY SPORTS. . The annual eporte meeting of the MWrehau Club will-'take place on ~C%riitimas ftfternoon -at English Park.' The cycling track -has been put"in first-class* order for the . meeting, and with, the riders-, in. goad fo'nn the public <*tn, be assured -of.-' witnesu.inp .brilliant... performances.' .The. Sentrant ' include L. W." Hill,. E. A.-'Prandsen,-W.'.T. , • "Weir, A. C. Ritchie, K. G. "Watson, and W. F. Wilcockson. , Don McLennan,— New Zealand sprint -.chammon. v will' -compete/ in :v. the sprint, events. The first event ie" timed to start at 2 o'clock. :■ J