ATHLETICS PIRIE LEAVING N.Z.

Press, Volume XCV, Issue 28249, 10 April 1957, Page 15

ATHLETICS PIRIE LEAVING N.Z.

Eventual Return Planned

(New Zealand Press Association) AUCKLAND, April 9. Disappointed at the lack of cinder tracks and the support given to athletics, the brilliant English distance runner, Gordon} Pirie, will go back to England • —for at least three years and a half.

He and his wife, the former English international athlete, Shirley Hampton, will leave Auckland by aeroplane on April 19, and will break an eight-day journey for a day or two in Canada.

Pirie said today they would eventually return to settle in New Zealand —probably in Auck-j land, because “we like the country very much.” In the meantime, he will try i for England representation at the Cardiff Empire Games next year,' and for a place in the British} team at the 1960 Olympic Games in Rome.

After a February-March spell, Pirie is back in training, and expects to be fit again for big European races in July and August. Pirie said he would have liked to stay in New Zealand. “The competition with men like Murray Halberg, Neville Scott, Barry Magee, Bill Baillie, and Bill Rodger, here, would have been more than good enough,” he said, “but there is no incentive for top-class running—or for running at all—and frankly, I’m amazed that Halberg and Scott! have done so well.

“About the only incentive top New Zealand athletes have is Olympic and Empire Games, and then pitifully small teams are sent,” Pirie said. Some administrators we're very good, but othere were not helping the sport to progress.

“There are insufficient tracks for training, and, worst of all, there are no cinder tracks,” Pirie said. “You must have cinder tracks for both training and competition if the sport is to go ahead. Apparently it is felt that a cinder track would be a waste, and not used enough to make it worthwhile, but a Rugby ground or some similar field could be put inside it.”

XAVIER COLLEGE SPORTS

K. Forman Wins Senior Title

The Xavier College annual athletic sports were held at the new sports ground at St. Martins.

The champions were:—Senior: K. Forman, 22 points. 1; K. Marriott, 12, 2; N. Costello, 10, 3. Intermediate: C. Brady, 23 points, 1; A. Straw. 12, 2; A. Lane, 10, 3. Junior: P. Alexandre, 21 points, 1; K. Barrett, 14, 2; D. Bain, 5, 3. Midget: B. Hallinan, 15 points, 1; B. Dobbs, 10. 2; D. Kett, 5, 3. Beginners: K. Gidall, 18 points, 1; L. Carruthers, 8,2; K. Paget, 5, 3. Results:— CHAMPIONSHIP EVENTS Senior.—so yards: N. Costello 1, B. Forman 2, P. White 3. Time, 6.lsec. 100 yards: K. Forman 1, N. Costello 2, P. White 3. Time, ll.Ssec. 220 yards: K. Forman 1, K. Marriott 2. N. Costello 3. Time, 25sec. 440 yards: K. Marriott 1, K. Forman 2, N. Costello 3. Time, 55.55ec (a record). 880 yards: B. Atkins 1, K. Marriott 2. W. Kennedy 3. Time, 2min lOsec. One mile: W. Kennedy 1, B. Atkins 2, K. Forman 3. Time, 4min 49.8 sec (a record). Long jump: K. Forman 1, P. White 2, K. Marriott 3. Distance, 18ft 3in. High jump: T. Smith 1, G. Ry all 2, A. Pablecheque 3. Height, sft 2in. Intermediate.—so yards: C. Brady 1, B. Pope 2, J. White 3. Time, 6.3 sec. 100 yards: C. Brady 1, A. Lane 2, J. White 3. Time, 11.3 sec. 220 yards: A. Straw 1, C. Brady 2. J. White 3. Time, 25.65ec. 440 Yards: A. Straw 1, A. Lane 2, D. Marra 3. 880 yards: C. Brady 1, D. Marra 2, J. White 3. Time, 2min 18.2 sec (a record). One mile: C. Brady 1, D. Marra 2, P. Doig 3. Time, smin 9sec (a record). Long jump: J. White 1, C. Brady 2, A. Lane 3. Distance, 17ft 9Jin. High jump: A. Straw 1, A. Lane 2, L. Moesbergen 3. Height, 4ft 7in. Junior.—so yards: P. Alexandre 1, K. Barrett 2, B. O’Loughlin 3. Time, 6.7 sec. 100 yards: P. Alexandre 1. K. Barrett 2, T. Pasfield 3. Time, 12.5 sec. 220 Yards: P. Alexandre 1, K. Barrett 2, B. O’Loughlin 3. Time, 28.1 sec. 440 Yards: K. Barrett 1, P. Alexandre 2, T. Pasfield 3. Time, Imin 6.lsec. 880 yards: D. Bain 1, P. Alexandre 2, M. Keppel 3. Time, . 2min 35.6feec. High jump: H. Thyne 1 1, P. Alexandre 2, P. O’Connell 3. Height. 4ft 2in. I Midget.—so yards: B. Hallinan and B. Dobbs (equal) 1, R. Nolan 3. Time, 7sec. 100 yards: B. Hallinan 1, B. Dobbs 2, A. Cole 3. Time, 12.9 sec. i 220 yards: B. Hallinan 1, B. Dobbs 2, R. Nolan 3. Time, 28sec. Long jump: D. Kett I', P. Spragg 2, B. Hallinan 3. Distance, 12ft lOin. Beginners.—Fifty yards: L. Carruthers 1, K. Gidall 2. M. Sweeney 3. Time, 7.lsec. 100 yards: K. Gidall 1, K. Paget 2, P. Dunn 3. Time, 13.6 sec. 220 yards: K. Gidall 1, L. Carruthers 2, M. Sweeney 3. Time, 32.2 sec. Long jump: K. Gidall 1, K. Paget and K. Graham (equal) 2. Distance, 12ft lOin.

Relays.—Senior: Brodie 1, Champagnat 2, O’Connor 3. Time. 50.2 sec. Intermediate: Brodie 1, Champagnat 2, Joseph 3. Time. 53sec. Junior: Brodie 1, Champagnat 2, O’Connor 3. Time, 57.65ec (a record). Handicap Events

Senior.—so yards: T. McKendry 1, B. Forman 2, G. Ryall 3. Time, 6.1 sec. 100 yards: T. McKendry 1, T. Smith 2, G. Ryall 3. Time, 11.6 sec. 220 yards: G. Ryall 1, T. McKendry 2, R. Glubb 3. Time, 25.8 sec. 440 yards: T. McKendry 1, T. Smith 2, G. Ryall 3. Time, 58.2 sec. 880 yards: T. McKendry 1, B. Forman 2, G. Ryall 3. Time, 2min 17.4 sec. 1 mile: T. McKendry 1, K. Doody 2, D. O’Connor 3. Intermediate.—so yards: M. Winder 1, B. Doherty 2, B. Graham 3. Time, 6.2 sec. 100 yards.—B. Doherty 1, J. Murphy 2, N. Hickey 3. Time. 12.2 sec. 220 yards: B. Graham 1, K. McMenamin 2, N. Hickey 3. Time, 26.95ec. 440 yards: R. Barson 1, K. McMenamin 2, N. Stuart 3. Time, 61sec. 880 yards: G. Matthews 1, R. Barson 2, K. McMenamin 3. Time, 2min 21.2 sec. 1 mile: K. McMenapiin 1, B. Graham 2, G. Matthews 3.

Junior.—so yards: J. Boyle 1, R. Brough 2, L. Richardson 3. 100 yards: J Boyle 1, L. Richardson 2, R. Brough 3. Time, 12.5 sec. 220 yards: J Boyle 1, L. Richardson 2, R. Brough 3. Time, 28sec. 440 yards: R. Brough and J. Boyle (equal) 1, B. Kilpatrick 3. Time, 66.95ec. 880 yards: R Brough 1, B. Kilpatrick 2, J. Nolan 3. Time, 2min 29sec. Midget.—so yards: M. French 1, M. Nolan 2, D. McCormick 3. 100 yards: P. Spragg 1. J. Adams 2, K. Smith 3. 220 yards: A. Cole 1, D. McCormick 2, P. Spragg 3. Beginners.—so yards: P. Sexton 1, P. Dunn 2, B. Feary 3. 220 yards: K. Paget 1. P. Sexton 2, P. Smith 3. Old Boys 100 Yards.—R. Peterson 1, P. Skerton 2, G. Robinson 3. House Competition.—Brodie, I; Joseph, 2; O’Connor, 3; Champagnat.