ATHLETICS

Dominion, Volume 18, Issue 69, 15 December 1923, Page 21

ATHLETICS

(By

(By “Miller.”) COMING EVENTS. Dec. 26. —Caledonian Society, Basin Reserve; "Waikanae A.A.U., Waikanae. Dec. 29.—Otaki A.A.0., Otaki. Jan. I.—Paraparaumu A.A.C., Paraparaumu ; Wairarapa Caledonian Society, Masterton; Petone Carnival, Petone. Jan. 12.—Wellington Provincial Championships,, Athletic Park. Jan. 19—New Zealand Championships. Dunedin. Feb.—Australasian championships, Hobart. It is an. encouraging sign to see the largo number of competitors that attend the ever-popular evening meeting, but there is plenty of room for more Tlie last evening meeting was held at Athletic Park when some stirring finishes were witnessed, notably that, of the final dash in the 600 yards race, contested by 24 runners. H. Sergeant, the winner, ran from the 4uyard line and made a general improvement all the way when he dazzled the onlookers by his turn of speed when facing the tape. A. Stevenson (45 yards) and S. Taylor (55 yards) looked like sharing the honours without, reckoning on Sergeant who won by a touch. It was suggested by some onlookers that Stevenson thought he had a sufficient lead to enable him to slacken when close to the tape, but ho did not appear to finish as fresh as the winner. After all, future contents will ciedit or discredit that contention, and in the meanwhile it must be said that Sergeant made a great race of the 600 yards. In vew of the severe northerly wind which was blowing right against the competitors, some of the times registered were quite good, and the final of the 120 yards handicap, run in 12 3-ssec. by Barker was fa-st going hi spite of his 10 yards allowance. In the first heat Tracy (scratch), who was giving 10 yards to both Grigg and Gilmore, won by a yard, apparently, taking matters fairly leisurely, The second heat gave F. S. Hill a chance to win by a yard from the one-yard mark. In the third heat Leadbetter, the ’Varsity representative, was third after giving 3 yards to D. Paris and sjyards to E. G. Guy. Paris won fipm Guy, who was going well at the finish. Barker (10 yards) showed his specs in his heat and won on the tape. Ine reserve pace of which he is capable was again demonstrated in the final, when ho shot past Paris and liacy to win by a touch. Paris, who was doing his best, finished half a yard ahead of Tracy. In the hurdle events H. E. u ilson did not put in an appearance, and of the three competitors in die first heat (Malmache, C. Louis and 11. Vvarek Louis, with 12 yards and 1 hurdle down, was just able to lead Mal nanche (10 yards and 1 hurdle down) ever tin last obstablo and the run for the tape. In the second heat, 11. C. Whyte galloped home in two seconds less than the preceding heat, and annexed the final with case. Thomson was 1> yards away. By way of a change, Selwyn won the relay race. R. Rose led nil the way in the half-mile and gave his brother M. Rose a fair start for the 411) yards dash. After that Grigg and Kent made the most of tlieir opportunities, Kent, the runner of the shorter dis-

“Miler.”)

tance, finishing well. It wirt through the attempt of R. Davis that Athletic only found second, place, and in spite of the lead which Grigg had on him ho made the most of his last, short stride, enabling Elliott to draw second place. Tracy was third.

Miss P. Dawson was not seen out m the ladies’ events last Monday. Miss N. Swinburne (half a yard) leu the field of six- to win by half a yard srqm Miss J. Thistholl (7J yards), ana Miss llayvice, who was not up to tile form she displayed the previous Saturday, dropped into third place from the. twoyard line. R. Kidd found a place again in the boys’ race, and oy ais consistency last season as a bcliuok.<>y ruiiirer be might be found amongst the fastest in a lew years. There was omy one field-event, and not a plentitude of participants for putting-the-shot. Novices who w , er ? induce to ‘’give it a go” found that a twenty-fooo put was their limit. Pringle, however, who has possibilities, put the ehot ’lft. Bin., not, of couise, so good as-p.- W. Brown, who made 37ft. 7Jin., but with a handicap ot 7 feet Pringle was able to win.

The cycle race over three miles was an event'for W. Clouston, who was on the 240 yards mark. There was no mistaking the “favourite," however, and when the scratch man, S. “Ginger” Harrison came round, lie was urged on with “Go it, ‘Ginger’,” from the stand. Harrison, who is always well watched by the spectators, does his best work at the start, but ho not infrequently labours with his head down after the first 6or 7 laps. G. S. Bright was spasmodic. He would shoot ahead of Harrison, pace him past the stand, then calmly fall back only to repeat the movement at the next turn. Bright might have been able to win.- Clark with a start of 320 yards, found second place and Bright third. Wellington athletes gave an excellent account of themselves at the Levin meeting last Saturday, although a drenching rain potired relentlessly all the afternoon. The particularly good performances of Tracy, who won the 220 yards from scratch in 22 7-16 sec., and C. Campbell in winning the 880 yards from scratch in 2min. 3 4-ssec. and also 440 yards, made the outing an enjoyable one in spite of the rain. The track was greasy, and, all things considered, Tracy’s time —ho tho outside running—was remarkably fast Campbell led all the way in the 880 yards. F. S. Hill, another Wellington performer, captured tho final of the “hundred” in a great race in which Fittis was second and Tracy third. The time (10 4-ssec.) was equal to that put up in* the filial at the Wellington afternoon meeting, when conditions were decidedly bettei. 11. Bennett, also of Wellington, was running well, and his activities were extended to the field events. He won the long jump and hop, . step, and jump, and also rail well into second place in the 440 yards. Altogether, the Wellington representatives created a very favourable impression, and their cheerfulness under the trying conditions was favourably commented upon. Of the Levin ladies who were in Wellington recently, Miss L. Henderson gave the most pleasing performance by tho manner in which she carried off tho 100 yards by decisively beating Miss Gill. Tho' time, 13sec,, was > again ahead of tho Wellington performances tho previous Saturday.