EMPIRE GAMES

Dominion, Volume 31, Issue 70, 16 December 1937, Page 8

EMPIRE GAMES

Selection Of Athletics

Team

FIVE WOMEN CHOSEN

Milers Asked To Prove Their Ability

Nineteen athletes are to be provided for in the Empire Games team to be .submitted by the council of the New Zeaiautl -Amateur Athlotk: .Association to Hie Olympic aud Empire Games Council to-morrow night. Ten men and five women were definitely selected last night, and three men conditionally. A 440 yards hurdler will be chosen after further trials. The names of the selected athletes, with their events and their best recent performances, are as follows : — C. H. Matthews, Canterbury, one mile (4miu. 17-sec.) aud three miles (14min. 7see.). V. I’. Boot, Canterbury, 880 yards (luiin. 54 3-ssec., New Zealand record) aud one mile (4min. 22 3-ssec.). S. A. Lay, AVest Coast-Taranaki, javelin (196 ft. 10in.). H. J. Tyrie, Otago, 440 yat J ds (49 4-ssec.). G. Quinn, Hawke’s Bay-Poverty Bay, 100 yards (lOsec.) and 220 yards (22 3-ssec.). J. Leckie, Auckland, hummer throw (151 ft. lOin.). J. D. Morgan, West Coast-Tara-naki, discus throw (137 ft. 3in.). F. Sharplcy, Hawke’s Bay-Poverty Bay, 120 yards hurdles (lusec.). A. R. Geddes, Otago, six miles )31 min. 2 2-ssee.). A. J. Sayers, Auckland, 440 yards (4!) 1-usec.). Miss B. Forbes, Otago, women’s high jump (sft. Ojin./New Zealand record.l. Miss M. Mitchell, Auckland, women's javelin throw (112 ft. 2in.). Miss D. Lumley, Auckland, women’s 100 yards (11 l-ssec.) and 220 yards (26 l-ssec.). Miss Strachan, Canterbury, women’s broad jump (17ft. 2in.) and 100 yards (11 l-ssec.). Miss R. Tong, Hawke’s Bay-Poverty Bay, 90 yards women's hurdles (13 l-ssec:). The following were selected conditionally on satisfactory trial performances on or before December 22: — VV. A. C. Pullar, Otago, one mile (4 min. 14 4-ssec.). T, Alien, Otago, one mile (4min 20 3-ssec.). C. Weller, West Coast-Taranaki, six miles (New Zealand eross-countrv champion). Three athletes to undergo further trials in their own centres for the selection of a 440 yafids hurdler are_ A. T. Anderson, Otago (holder of the New Zealand record of 55sec.), H. D. Ball, Auckland (who defeated him at Wellington on Saturday in 55 2-ssee.), and F. A. Finlayson, Auckland (national champion two seasons ago). A mile relay team will be chosen, front the selected men, but New Zealand will not enter the 440 yards relay. The council decided not to avail itself of an offer by the Wellington centre to release the American coach, Alfred Fitch, for the period of the trip. Some Good Prospects. Most of the selected athletes are considered to have good chances of success at the games, while in a number of cases there was little to choose between nominees on recent performances. Pullar and Anderson are both capable of breaking 4.20 in the mile, and so is Boot. Allen beat Pullar in Dunedin recently, but the lat» ter is reported to be working to a schedule Avhich does not permit of a faster mile than 4.20 at present. Anderson’s training is also unfinished, and he is still reckoned by many the logical choice for the quarter-mile hurdles. The Canterbury centre asked for the"trial to be delayed as long as possible. There was keen competition between Sharpley and Bowie for the sprint hurdles, there being little between the two at present. They have taken the national title alternately for four years. Tyrie and Sayers have a 440 yards national title each to their credit, and the latter was not at his best on Saturday. The council received a report from Auckland of a hammer-throwing trial by J. G. Leckie, title-holder in 1931-32. In light rain on Saturday Leckie reached 151 ft. lin.

Morgan has improved in the discus throw from 1181’t. 104 in. in March, 1936, 122 ft. Sin. in March of t!Ow_ year, and 130 ft. 7in. on Saturday to 137 ft. Sin. on Tuesday. 'Though Miss Strachan might have given place to Miss E. Munro, Auckland, holder of the women’s broad jump record, her ability as a sprinter secured her a place. The team will not include a marathon runner, a walker, a jumper, or a shotputter. SWIMMER’S TRIAL By Telegraph.—Press Association. New Plymouth, December 15.

In a specially arranged trial with a view to selection for the Empire’Gamc.s team, Jack Davies in the baths to-night swam 220 yards breaststroke in 3min 5 2-ssec., four seconds outside the New Zealand record. Davies was short of training.