ATHLETE RETIRES

Evening Post, Volume CVI, Issue 54, 12 September 1928, Page 16

ATHLETE RETIRES

M. LEADBETTER'S DECISION FINE RECORD ON THE TRACK The Dominion's champion sprinter, Malcolm Leadbetter, who has been visiting Wellington recently, has decided to retire from the track. Talking to a "Post" representative, Leadbetter said that ono of the reasons for his decision was that he had been troubled a good deal lately by injuries received while competing in events. They had affected him to such an extent that he felt he would be wise in leaving the track. Ho said ho would have liked very much to test his speed against that of the latest Olympic sprint champion, Williams, of Canada. However, as there is now no prospect of Williams coming to New Zealand, there appears to be little chance of inducing Leadbetter to reconsider his decision. The retirement means a big loss to amateur athletics in New Zealand. Of recent years Leadbetter has been an outstanding figure almost everywhere he has competed, and he has won for himself New Zealand's highest track aonours. Leadbetter will undoubtedly be missed at tho big mcotings in the futuro, but the memory of his prowess will not be dimmed with the passing of the years. To-day Leadbetter is the holder of the Canterbury, Now Zealand University, and Dominion 100 yds and 220 yards titles. How did ho get to the top of the tree? By consistent training and

specialisation. Leadbetter has been a specialist, and he has trained assiduously. ; It was at the Wellington College annual sports meeting in 1920 that ho first appeared on the running track, but he competed with only moderate success. The college sports, however, served to convince him that ho could run, and later the same season ho won the Wellington provincial junior championship. After leaving Wellington College, Loadbetter took up athletics seriously, and sinco 1921 he has been running in open company continuously—for about six years with Victoria Cbllego and latterly with Canterbury College, where ho is a master. He has competed against notable overseas athletes, including the Americans M. Kirksey and J. V. Seholz, and more recently the leading Australian sprinters L. C. Parker, N. Greliau, J. Carlton, and C. J. Lane. . At the Australian and Now Zealand championship meeting hold in Wellington in December last, Leadbetter, with the Queenslarider Parker (who, incidentally is now a professional)' finished second to Carlton, who represented Australia at the Olympic Games in Amsterdam, in the 100 yds event, and in the 220 yds championship he was third, being beaten by Carlton and Lane. , Leadbetter has won the New Zealand 100 yds championship four times and the 220 yds championship throe times. At Auckland in February, 1927, he equalled .the Australian and New Zealand record of 9 4-ssec for the lOCyds event when ho defeated the Aucklanders, L. C. Williams and A. J. Elliott. A happy, likeable fellow, and popula- with athletes all over the Dominion, Malcolm Leadbettor retires with a fine record.