AMATEUR ATHLETICS

Dominion, Volume 27, Issue 70, 15 December 1933, Page 19

AMATEUR ATHLETICS

Busy Time Ahead for Competitors EVENING MEETINGS NOW DRAWING GOOD ENTRIES

(By

“Spike.”)

Coming Events. Dec. IS.—Evening meeting, Basin Reserve, 0.15 p.m. Dee. 26.—Sports mooting.- Napier. Jan. I.—Ongn Ongn Sports Club, Onga Onga. ..Tan. -I.—Pnriipariiiiniii A.A.C. Jan. 13.—Electric light meeting, Basin Re,Ta'n.&22.—Otakl A.A.C., Otaki. Jan. 27.—Lnykold Cup meeting, Petone. Feb; 3. —Provincial Championships, Basin Reserve. Feb. 11l and 17.—N.Z. Championships, Basin , Reserve. March 10.—Australian visit, Basin, Reserve. Athletic Club’s Second Evening Meeting. ‘ The gathering at the Basin Keservq last Monday evening was a great success, the entries being an improvement on previous meetings. The GOO yards handicap saw 25 competitors face the starter, class being represented by W.„ Ogg off the scratch mark. This was Ogg’s first appearance ,in company this season, and, judging by the splendid race lie ran, to,finish second, be should be in great form by championship day. B. Hedges (OlynnpicO. 25yds..- the winner of the event, owes his success to his consistent training, and vvill be’ much' nearer the scratch mark next time out. Hedges fully deserves all the success that comes his way. i i W. Killeen (Athletic). 22yds., was a fail- third. This lad gave promise, of turning out a champion quarter-miler, but last season fallen to live up to his' renutation, and it was not surprising to see him so generously treated by the handicapper. W. H. Fisher (Wellington)., 2Gyds„ was noticed finishing strongly. and will soon be nearer the front. C. F. Thompson (Scottish Harriers). 14yds., is a disappointing runner. He has all the attributes of a champion—physique, style, and pace, but lie evidently does not take his running seriously enough. The 120 yards, junior handicap was a triumph for 11. Mears (10yds.). of the Athletic club. This .boy was a schoolboy chamnipu two years ago. and if properly nursed is biAind tn make good. In giving Mears 10 yards the handicapper was rather liberal.

The Wellington centre has put in hand the altering of the present hurdles so that three heights will be available.—2ft. Gin.. 3ft., and 3ft. Gin. The width will also be altered to 4ft. to permit of the hurdles being placed in the lanes in the 220yds. and 440yds. events.

Canterbury v. Wellington. The Canterbury centre has agreed Io January 20 as the date for its contest with Wellington, at Christchurch. General Notes.

F. Brady, ex-national champion in the high jump and pole vault, has returned to Wellington, and will stay for at least three months. He has linked up with his old club, Wellington, and will be competing first at Paraparaumu on New Y'eiir’s Day. 1 He is keener than ever, and has been doing about sft. lOin. in tryouts over the bar. He will be a great help to his old club.

Metcalfe’s Tour. •‘Consternation was caused in Australian athletic circles when it was announced that Jack Metcalfe would tour New Zealand ail’d would not belt competitor at the Matieral track and field championships in Adelaide in January,” wrote the Sydney correspondent of “The. Christchurch ITess,” on'November 16. “Metcalfe is the greatest draw card in-the field of Australian athletes to-dayp and his absence from the championship meeting will be a.severe blow. That he will tour the Dominion is not yet certain for it appears that so far he has not sought the permission of the controlling authority in New South Wales, and without that lie would be unable to compete outside Australia. It remains tofieseen whether the council will be influenced by Metcalfe’s decision not to represent New South Wales at the national championships. "Metcalfe is a student at the Sydney University and he elaimsXthat examinations. will preclude him from takipg part in the championship meeting. ‘There is too much at stake for me to treat my studies lightly,’ he said, ‘but the New Zealand tour will come at a good time. AVe will sail on February 15. which, is three days after the examinations have finished.’ He made it clear that his availability for selection as a meniber of the Australian team at the Empire Games would depend entirely on the report of the examiners. His study would have to come first.

H. Coombs (Athletic). 3yds., ran up to his best, fornb and finished second. A. Phillips (Kiwi). syds.. a newcomer to the junior ranks, was close up third, and looks like turning out a good sprinter. R. Leeks (Miramar) and A. Fredric (Athletic) -are steadily getting into rueing trim, and their turn should come soon.

Watt's Easy Win. „ The 100 yards A grade scratch race Was won easily by the past college champion. J. Watt, in 10 3-ssec. 'A. Welply (Wellington), always a trier, was second. just good enough to finish in front of the improving II; T. Robinson (Kiwi). The “B” grade 100 yards was a Runaway victory for K. Jackson (Scottish Harriers, who won the final in 10 4-ssec. How tliis sprinter got into the “B” grade is hard to fathom. He was running off the same murk us M. Strange last season in Palmerston North. F. G. Woodward (Kiwi), another improver, was second, closely followed by Alex. Hill (Old Boys). L. A. Cunningham (Wellington) is coming along nicely, and'will be rewarded with a win any time now. Moro Women Runners.

“His position will not be considered b- the New South Wales executive until lie makes formal application for permission to undertake (he New Zealand tour. He will be sadly missed at Adelaide, but a great acquisition to any New Zealand meeting.at which lie may compete?’

.Tlie two other Australians who will accompany Metcalfe on the tour, are E. AV. Barwick, the distance runner, of Tasmania, and probably T. E. Hampson, the New South AVales sprinter, replacing J. S. Horsfall, of Victoria. ■

Lovelock’s Plans. According to a Sydney “Refree” writer, it is thought possible that J. E. Lovelock, world-record holder for the mile,- may be available to represent New Zealand at the Centenary Games in Melbourne, but this is not in accord with the view Lovelock himself expressed in a letter to Dunedin some time ago..

The 100 yards women’s handicap saw a big improvement in the iitiiubetCof starters as compared with previous'meetings. The Athletic, Kiwi, and Wellington clubs had five starters, and Petone four. The winner turned up in Miss 1). Hurley (,Wellington). 5J yards, and evidently her win two weeks ago hns givpn her'the encouragement she needed. Miss Hurley won rather easily, and was running away from the .rest of the field at the finish. Miss M. 'Watson (Kiwi) G yards, isi gradually improving, and ran second. She will be hard to beat off ! her marks itt; Paraparnuinu. .

Miss E. Sharp (Wellington); 2-J yards, was easily the best of the backmarkers, and looks like turning out our best sprinter.

Miss Thelma Kench .(Wellington) started off 2 yards, but was off colour.. Miss Brown (Petone); 6 yards,,.Miss Jean Murray (Kiwi). 4 yards, and Miss R. Hunter (Wellington). S yards I ,' all ran well.

With a little more experience Misses Tyrell. K. Townsend, and F. Pearson (all of the Kiwi cdub), will do much better.

. .The Next Meeting. The next gathering will be held on Monday? under the control of the Wellington Amateur Athletic Club, comnieiicing nt 6.15 p.m. The.events are the 220 yards handicap, 440 yards junior handicap, the mile A and B grade scratch race, high jump, long jump, and putting the shot, women’s 100 yards, and high jump, relay races, and two cycling races—a. threequa.fter mile open handicap, and a threequarter mile junior handicap. ■ Dewar Shield Meeting. The executive of the Wellington centre .at its monthly meeting held last week de J cided to hold the Dewar Shield competition at Ihe next series of evening meetings, starting on January 1.5. and continuing every fortnight. The original dates, January 27 mid March 10. have now been allotted to the Daykold Cup meeting at Petone and the Australian gathering on the Basin Reserve respectively. I’otone f lub.

The evening meetings controlled by the Petone club have been weJl supported both by competitors and spectators. W. Crooks i.s undoubtedly the local sprint champion, and has not been out of it place in liis last 15 starts. Why (he haidieapper continually keeps Crooks off 5 yards in' a hundred is dillicult to understand. J. Fleming has been a starter on numerous occasions, but lias not saluted' the judge yet. K. O'Connell has started work in earnest and last Wednesday won the 100 yards' off Gyds.- ' ' Young Tnylor, a great runner for his age, is getting worked to death and should be advised to take things easy for a while. J. Hamilton, who unexpectedly defeated C. Jenkins in a scratch lOllyds. race, hiis ; not turned out yet and docs not sceiir’ Very keen to do so. V. Valk. one-time Otago sprint champion. is also missing, The ladies of the club are very keen .-uni are improving with racing. In Missis' N. Brown, Greenfield. McLean. Hill,' Payne and Fishey they have a very fine team. The first, four journeyed to town liist Monday and took pari in the relay race, running well.

Good progrees is being made by the Kiwis with their- trainin'!'. Members are turning out in good style, and the improvement shown, due lo the attention paid to training, is marked by tire <q>leudid .success that the club and it.s members have had in open competition this season.

Olympic Club. 'The Olympic club has started opera-, lions in earnest and training nights at Atlilelic Park see a large number of members preparing for future events. Colin Brown, the secretary, has com-’ meneed training, and if lie lives up to his last year's reputation should make a name for himself before long. D. Bain would be well advised to put a little more vim into his training gallops as he will need all his speed when: next he starts iii a race. He will not be oil the limit again, , G. Murray, a newcomer to the club, gives promise of turning out a good distance runner. It is now time he entered and ran at one of the evening meetings. He needs the experience. R. Service, who ran in the junior race last week, should not get downhearted by being out of a place. Carefully coached,; this lad will make good. E. Fisher is another who should get into racing, as he also lacks experience. I). McNicol is working himself gradually into form, and will be at his best early in the New Year. He’should make a great quarter-miler. W. Ogg and B. Hedges are the most regular members at practice, and, though the latter has rather hurried his work, Ogg is slowly working into form. The Olympic and Petone clubs propose holding a triangular contest with the Masterton club early in February at Carterton. under electric light.

A nijfked improvement has been shown in the' liidie.s’ section. Misses Watson. Murray. ’l'lirrell mid Pearson, who arc training consistently, are running very well. ,

Importation of Coach. The soundest advice, upon the subject of. the improvenierit-otmthletics in-Now. Zealand ■-conies' from Otago; centre, which has suggestedJhhfiiupoftfitiofi; of;an bvpr-' seas coach. 'Qtli'er'.centres' have? shown, mild interest in the. proposition', but havenot committed themselves one way or the other (says the' “Christchurch Times.’!) They have promised to examine- all - the possibilities, but' have let the-matter rest there. ’

Wellington, after considering the sug-' gestion.; took the vjew that' it. should he.-' discussed at a conference; of centres in Wellington next 'February. .That adroit step shelves tire subject until the end/of the present season. For-eonie reason or other those who control athletics in New Zealand have developed the habit of putting off until 'to-morrow tliore ?things which they should do to-day; '■ ' Otago’s suggestion is -worthy of immediate consideration' and.' if a coach'ls to be brought,into New Zealand iiv time for the next season, inquiries. should be made at once. The'idea smacks of progress. New Zealand needs a man .who can select type’s and, having chosen them, is capable of developing' them. At. present. many athlcted- are • attempting, .too much. There is no specialisation'. That is because the ma jority .of-athletes .do not; know how to specialise, or ivhat to specialise in. ’ ‘ . Behind the Otago.’proposition', there is 'a groat deal of sound thinking. Otago.is not a centre to recommend n substantial expenditure without being first, assured that that expenditure is justified. It rightl.v arguesYliat the introduction of a coach would. be less expensive and more beneficial Ilian the sending of teams overseas. It is true that a coach could not do a great deal in one season, nor in two, but in three and in four ;hc would produce results that would place New Zealand definitely in the field of international athletics. Kiwi Club Activities.

The Kiwi club has won all relay iaee« so far this season. This performance ;« due largely to tire splendid spirit shown by members during training. . The annual competition for t lie. Everiss Shield started last Weilnesdny evening. A 75 yards handicap, half-nine and a 75 yards ladies’ race were decided. These events, which' are run every Wednesday, are very popular and members cun gain a good deal of knowledge by' competition of this sort.; • Tire elub'i.s welh off this season nW. lia.s sonic very prumisiiig material: Anioug I lie sprinters- the club is well fojireseiitci.L' Furlojig. riiillips. Robinson, ' O'Coniiell. Knoblock ' aiid Franklin; are all 'going well,.while Woodward and Flint are getting down' to solid training. ■ Tire middle-distance men. Crow and Thawle.v, lire getting in.’some hard work ami should soon be'going well. Myers, • Hobson. Berry and Clare are improving, ■ Hobson ami Berry in ptirlicttlar running well-judged races. Lee, who has had a season with the harriers is coming along nicely. Stone is eonecnIrating on the qii kter-niile this season, and i.s training consistently. Among the juniors some outstanding bo.vs include Complou. Hui ton. Darratli. Phillips ami the Robinson brothero.