AMATEUR ATHLETICS

Evening Post, Volume CIII, Issue 53, 4 March 1922, Page 12

AMATEUR ATHLETICS

COMBINED MEETING ARRANGED

(By "Sprinter.")

The end of the Springboks' successful tour does not bring the season to a close. Several important events are to be decided, including the N.Z. University championships, and & local combined meeting. The jatter will be conducted by the Wellington and Victoria University Clubs at Kelburn Park, on 25tli March, and as a large percentage of the Dominion's Jeading athletes are'members of those clubs, good competition is likely. Apart from the events for the seniors, the clubs are undertaking to run. the inter-College and Public School championships for the Blundell Cups. Keen interest is already being shown by the^'boys, those at the colleges having re-started training. The gathering will provide a good preliminary for the. 'varsity athletes, who are to go to' Auckland at Easter. t

Reference has already been mado to the unfortunate mishap which accounted for the unsatisfactory ending for the test relay, but it is worthy of mention that R. Johnston (South Africa) expressed keen regret at having knocked Tracy and' causing the latter to lose the N.Z. batoni The offer to re-run the relay was not accepted, and the decision furnishes further proof of the fine sportsmanship .of the New Zealanderß, to which Mr. Ira G. Emery made many complimentary references. Tho tour was a great success, and was" conducted, in a manner which reflects much credit on the officials, particularly those in Wellington. . Before leaving, Mr. Emery made two valuable suggestions regarding the future success of amateur athletics in the Dominion: —(1) The appointment of a. board of ( handicapper6; and (2) the appointment of advisory committees. Both are well worthy of consideration. UNIVERSITY CHAMPIONSHIPS. The New Zealand University Athletic championships are to be held' at the Auckland Domain on' Easter Tuesday, 18th April. In addition to the championships, the following open events will be decided:— 120 yds, 440yde, and 880 yds. The representatives from Victoria College (Wellington) maka a strong team which will take a lot of beating. L. A. tTracy is the present champion over 100 yds, 220 yds, and 440 yds, and holder-of the 220 yds record, H. G. Whitehoad last year dead-heated with Perry in the 220 yds in 23sec. X., M. Griffin was- second, last year in ■ tho .mile, and will also run in the half-mile this year. H. M'Cormick was second last year in the three-mile, and will again bo a competitor. H. E. Moore is the New Zealand and Wellington cross-country champion, and he was second to R. M. Webber in the threcmiles New Zealand championship. A. Jackson is the present champion over 120 yds and 440 yds hurdle's, and holder of the record in the latter. He. was runnerup last year in tho broad jump. G.. G. Aitken is a former champion ov&r the 440 yds hurdles, and B. Egley is a former broad jump champion. HURDLES RECORD. H. E. Wilson is at least likely to be credited with the Australasian record for the 120 yds hurdles. His run of 15 l-sseo. at Wanganui has not been questioned. Presumably, on this occasion,, the track was the full length, the hurdles tho correct height, the- ground level, andi the air still. If co, Wilson's record will displace the present Australasian record of 15 3-10seo held jointly by G. P. Keddell (Southland, New Zealand), and L. F. Edmunds (Victoria). Keddel's_ run was made on Lancaster Park, Christchuroh, almost 10 years ago—March, 1911—andi the Victorian drew level at this season's Australasian Championships, decided in Adelaide.. Wilson finished fourth to Earl Thomson (Canada), the world's champion,' at the 1920 Olympic Games. Since then he has been clocked to break 15 3-10seo over half-a-dozen times, but always there has been something wrong with track or conditions and no record could be allowed. His fastest actual time is 15sec. "NOT SPORTING." "I sun very sorry to notice the hostile I reception given by members of the Inver-ca-rgill A.A.C. to a proposal by a member that a professional race should' be put or? 3, club programme," writes "Juvenis" in the Southland Times. "To put the matter plainly it was not sporting. Tho Winton Athletic Club for example puts three amateur races on its programme without any stipulation of reciprocity, and the only amateur body in the province, when the fuggestion comes from within, that something should be don© in return, turns up its nose- and views with horror any proposal for 'encouraging professionalism.' Theso latter scare-words are all very well, but "professional athletics in Southland is a mighty clean sport, and there is more pure amateur spirit behind it, despite tho seeming contradiction, than in ma-ny amateur athletic circles. I hope that before long the 1.A.A.0. will reoonsider its decision." ' i AMERICAN ATHLETES' PLAN! There still appears to be a desire in America to send a team to tho Dominion. The following was published ie the New York Evening Journal of the 29th December: "Star athletes to tour Antipodes. Four athletes. Charles Paddock Los Angeles (A.C.), Maurice Kirksey and Johnny fforton (Olympic Club), and Brick 'Mueller, of the University of California, are planning a competitive tour of Australia and New Zealand. It _is said that the four men, under the guidance of D. Templeton, coaoh of Stanford Univorsity, will sail the latter part of next month." No advice has been received by the N.Z.A.A.A. regarding tho reported tour.