MARATHON TRIAL

Dominion, Volume 31, Issue 34, 4 November 1937, Page 7

MARATHON TRIAL

Smyth’s Good Win At

Auckland

(By

SPIKE.)

Conducted over n coursc „ of . 385 yards, from Ramaranta Post Office to the Auckland Domnin, the marathon trial for North Island runners resulted in a convincing victory for L. Smyth. the Auckland University runner (.reports the Auckland "Star - ’). m r i Three Wellington men. MeCnlinan (winner of the 20-mile race a fortnight ago), MacGregor and Hiscock, competed, with the live Aucklanders. Smyth, last year's winner, French. Porter, Dolan and Mortimer. MacGregor went to. the irout at th'., start, followed by Smyth, with the res of the field bunched. The leaders held to a 5.40 mile over the opening stages, and this was too fast, to be maintained on a Ion”- course. Papakura was reached in •••> minutes by Smyth, who had replaced MacGregor. The latter was followed by Hiscock 200yds. back, and this competitor was leading Porter, French. McCalman. Dolan and Mortimer, who were spread over a quarter of a mile. At the Manurewa end of the Takanini straight Smyth had a break of some 300yds. from McCalman. MacGregor. Dolan and Mortimer at this stage had retired. Approaching Papa toetoe with half the course completed. Smyth led by 200 yards,• his lime being llir. 23min. lOsec. JlcLalman was second, but retired temporarily, and Porter replaced him. followed by French and McCalman. Hiscock was also forced to withdraw at thi-s stage.. . These. positions were maintained through Otahuhu, but on the rise from Penrose French passed Porter. Smyth, running steadily, was now over a mile in the lend. He continued out m front through Newmarket and went on to the domain to finish in the splendid time of 2hr. 56min. *Tisec. This was an excellent performance for a hot day. A considerable distance back French arrived in 3hr lOmin. 56see„ followed by Porter tn 3hr. 24min. 40sec. McCalman collapsed within two miles of home. The sealed handicap was won by D. Porter, with a net time of 2hr. i>4mm. 40 sec. Results were ns follows:—L. Sin}th. 2hr. 56min. ssee„ 1 ; R. French, 3hr. 10 min. 56see„ 2; D. Verter 3hr. 24min. 40 sec., 3. Sealed handicap: H. Porter (30.0), 2hr. 54min. 40sec. Smyth’s fine performance brings mm under the notice of the selectors for inclusion in the New Zealand team for the Empire Games. His time was particularly good considering the succession of long hills which made up the course. Ine beat of the day and the glare of the sun on the wliite concrete roads, also make Ins time stand out as being of a high enough standard to gain him a place in the Empire Games marathon. He finished in very fresh condition and had he been challenged by another competitor during the race his time would probably have been improved considerably. With both Austin (who ran tiie distance in 2hr. 52min. 19sec. at Dunedin recently), and Smyth in the New Zealand team. New Zealand would have a great chance of having two men placed in the marathon at the Empire Games. If only one man is to.be picked, the selectors will have a difficult choice to make, unless both men are matched against each other in another trial.