AMATEUR ATHLETICS.

Dominion, Volume 2, Issue 415, 26 January 1909, Page 6

AMATEUR ATHLETICS.

. Sir, —As a keen . enthusiast 'in .amateur, sport,. I'was a little surprised at the attitude' the of, your athletics . column took up with regard to-the three-mile handicap race, to be decided at'.the. evening meeting to-morrow. ; The- paragraph , I refer .to lauds MulcaKy to the sines as a runner and a true' sport, whereas : Sharp, . who has so worthily :upheld his provihoe and the. Dominion, is the subject of. adverse comments. • As a. matter of fact, Mulcahy has resided permaneritly_ in Wellington," and '.has had every opportunity':, fo train consistently.'- His recent form. 1 proves,''conclusively . that he has ; done., so; but. Sharp has -been' stationed in the cbuntryprior to-New Year,, with no run-, hing . track within miles, and, therefore,. no opportunities' for systematic training.lt is i admitted that he was a spectator at'the New Year's Day sports, but:as he was'.quite'ont of form, I commend, him for keeping ;olf\'the track. ; Now, observe,the positions taken .up by;the two runners since those,.sports.- The " ew Zealand Meeting is.- fast approaching, and Sharp has gone into steady training', : with a view to worthily upholding the prestige _ of: the hut; -Mulcahy' notifies his intentionof training .' for : .the Auckland Marathon 13-mile race, in preference to representing'his province.' I shall leave: your readerß., to judge for -themselves which -runner: constitutes . the-': true -" amateur."—l am, etc., / . UNBIASSED.