Athletics.

Evening Post, Volume LXXIII, Issue 28, 2 February 1907, Page 14

Athletics.

(By "Amateur.") From Dunedin comes the news that G. P. Keddell, the New Zealand broad jump champion, who has been suffering for some months from an injured knee, has almost completely recovered. Keddell is very anxious to compete at the championship meeting, but it is doubtful whether his knee will stand the strain. This by "Amateur" in the Otago Witness is of interest as showing how Wellington's chance of winning the championship shield is viewed by outeiders : — "Wellington is casting longing eyes on the championship banner this year, and judging by the cracks available to represent the province, there is | every prospect of the much coveted banner going to the Empire City. A team | which includes such men as Henderson, Ooodbehere, and Fisher for tho sprints. Bradbury and Prendevillo (if he starts) for the distance events, Kerr and Fitzgerald for the walks, and Halligan for the hurdles, and others of slightly lesser athletic calibre, is certain to take a power of beating. Canterbury, being the home province, is certain to place a strong combination on track ana field, and will make a bold bid for the bani nor. I have not yet heard what Auck-

land intends doing -in the way o£ representation at the classic gathering, but the. state of athletics in the northernmost .province does not suggest that anything very sensational ,will coma from that quarter. Otago's prospects at tho time of writing are not over bright, and I fear thab" unless something extra special happens along in the course of a day or two Otago will have to strike its colours to the athletic north." J. H. Prendivillo has improved since tho Wairarapa meeting. A day or two ago he rattled off a mile on the Basin Reserve in workmanlike fashion, and he should be cherrp-vipe on the 21st and 23rd of pext month. Prendeville will be a certain competitor, and though he will probably have to strike his colours to Burk in the mile, he should have little uifficulty in retaining his title as three miles champion. He will be_ a competitor at tho Port Nicholson Civil Service gathering aext Saturday, and if Bradbury comes down, the contest between the pair in the Ladies' Bracelet (one mile) should be worth witnessing. L. Orbell, the Timaru athlete, is evidently a juniper of more than average -ability. At the South Canterbury Amatenr Club's sports on 10th January, he cleared s!t 7in. If he is in good form at the championships he should go very near to breaking tho Now Zealand, record. S. P. B. Mtis, of Christchurch Col- ! lege, Oxford, seems to be ' a coming champion distance runner. Starting from tho scratch mark and giving away starts up td 180 yds he won tho two miles Strangers' Handicap at the Now College (Oxford) sports on 7th December, by sixty 1 Yards in 9min 44sec, a really good performance. • Cross country running is going ahead fast in France.. Ui tho international cross country race (run in Franco last nwnth) for the Entente Cordiale Cup, between the Highgate Harriers, four French teams and a Belgian team, the first and third competitors home were Frenchmen. G. Rageneau, the winner, covered tho distance (more than six miles), in a nailstorm, in 35min 26sec, and as ho had behind him such men as G. Pearco (Southerp Counties Champion) and A. Aldiidge (ten miles champion of England) i-ncre was considerable merit in the performance. Followers of spoit have an interesting afternoon's amusement guaranteed them by the officials controlling the Pfcrt Nicholson Civil Service Combined Gathering next Staurday. The meeting is a fortnight before the championships, and it will be interesting to see how the local representatives > shape. Kerr will undoubtedly be the star attraction, and he should, all going well, establish at least one record, InWanganui last month Kerr finished inside the world's best time, but Slyfield (115 yds start), the winner, was the only one whose time was officially taken. Kerr was beaten a few> yards in 6min 17sec. The world's best amateur or professional is 6min 23sec. In 1902) at the Caledonian meeting at Dunedin, N he astonished tho crowd by walking a ; mile in 6min llsec. Though four watches caught the time, it was not, for some unknown reason, accepted. Later on- in the same afternoon he gave away starts up .to 404 yds and wen the two: milc3 walk with' tho greatest case. Terr's best year as a .professional was probably 1904. At Dnnedin on Ist January of that year he just failed by five yards to give Duncdin's crack professional walker, W Craik, 75yds in a mile ten grass), done in 6min 13sec. In the two miles Craik, 180 yds, again just beat him, the time given being llmin 55scc. The distance was found' to be short. The next day he beat Craik easily in the two miles walk, and won tho mile in 6min 27sec. It is the club's intention to "produce a photo taken of him finishing in this. race, in a little souvenir of their gathering, which will be distributed next 'week. This snapshot shows the fairness of Kerr's style. < Harry Henderson, the 100 yds and 220 yds provincial champion, will be a competitor next Saturday. If he can retain his present form he should have a say in the 100 yds New Zealand cham : Eionship. Henderson will be opposed' y a strong field, inclucTng Goodbehore. Bridge, Wilton, Fisher, and W. H. Pollock, in the 75yds invitation race, and a good finish should result. The' contest m the jump 3 between Halligan, M'Kay, and A. C. Williams, of Masterton, should prove interesting.