ATHLETICS CHAMPIONSHIPS AT GREYMOUTH

Press, Volume XCI, Issue 27576, 5 February 1955, Page 4

ATHLETICS CHAMPIONSHIPS AT GREYMOUTH

STRONG CANTERBURY CONTINGENT West Coast athletes will be outnumbered in many events by visiting Christchurch competitors when the Coast championships are decided at Greymouth today. Provided conditions are good, the meeting should provide high-class competition. The majority of events have drawn excellent support and several provincial and national champions are entered. Visiting athletes have greatest representation in the senior grade, and in all events up to the mile they will outnumber local competitors. The only entries fiom the West Coast have been received for the women’s section. The chief attraction in this grade will be the Westport relay team, which equalled the Canterbury record of 51.8 sec for the 4 x 110 yards relay at the Mahar Cup (Seddon Shields district) contest last week. Among the 100 yards starters will be P. S. Price (New Brighton), the present provincial champion. At this fixture Price set a new provincial record of 48ft 2in for the hop. step, and jump. He also holds the long jump record of 22ft lOin. Other prominent starters in the 100 yards are the Technical sprinters, M. A. Courtney, R. L. Gaskell, and B. S. Hunt, a former Coast man. Likely Greyrnouth men are T. Sweeney and T. Williams. The Canterbury quarter milers, Gaskell and T. Crossen (University), will meet strong opposition in P. Sullivan, who recently ran 51.8 sec. In the Mahar Cup contest he won the 220, 440, and 880 yards. An attempt may be made on the one mile record of 4min 21sec, set by P. R. May (University), in December. The field will be weakened by the withdrawal of J. Kyle (Marist), because of pneumonia. May can expect strong opposition from E. Stroud (Technical), who has been showing improved form. The present national three-mile champion J. C Daly (Marist). looks an almost certain winner at this distance. Daly will be having his first serious run of the seaa fast time can be expected. The 100 yards and the 880 yards appear to be the best of the junior events.