CARLTON COMING

Evening Post, Volume CXI, Issue 22, 27 January 1931, Page 11

CARLTON COMING

TO RUN AT WELLINGTON

CONTESTS WITH SIMPSON

MEETING NEXT MONTH

Although in great demand by Australian amateur athletic authorities, the Australian "sprint champion, J. A. Carlton, has accepted the invitation forwarded by tho New Zealand Amateur Athletic Council at the suggestion of the Wellington Centre to visit New Zealand and compete against the American, George Simpson. It was hoped by the N.Z.A.A.A. Council that Carlton would be able to compete at' more than one meeting in the Dominion, but apparently the New South Wales Amateur Athletic Association in sanctioning the trip stipulated that he must be in Sydney for the New South Wales championships on 28th February and 7th'March. Ho will only bcrkble to compete at one meeting in New Zealand against • the American, and that mil. bo in Wellington at Athletic Park on 21st February. ■ In addition to the New Zealand invitation, Carlton also received an invitation from the Victorian .Amateur Athletic Association to compete at the Victorian State championships on 14th and 21st February, but he had expressed a koen desire to meet Simpson, and he has given preference to the New Zealand trip. The Victorian Association was very anxious to secure Carlton's services, and Australian files to shand ahdsv that in the negotiations that have taken place the secretary of the Victorian Association (Mr.. H. R. Weir) has contended that New South Wales and Victoria were more entitled to his services than New Zealand, which, it was suggested, should have co-opera-ted to arrange for the American athletes to include Australia in their itinerary. It can be seen, therefore, -that the N.Z.A.A.A. has been fortunate in arranging for the visit of Australia's noted sprinter.

BRILLIANT SPRINTER.

It will not be Carlton's first visit to Wellington. He was here with the NowSouth Wales team for the Australian and New Zealand track and field games championships at Athletic Park in 1927, at which meeting he scored brilliant wins in the 100 yards and 220 yards events. The following year he represented Australia at the Olympic Games at Amsterdam, but was unable to strike his best form. Since his return from the Games, however, he has gone from one success to another, culminating recently with a sensational performance of $ 3-ssec for the 100 yards on. a specially prepared grass track in Sydney, Until 1929 this time would have equalled the world's' record, Tield jointly by four. Americans and a Canadian, and established on cinder tracks.. To-day the official" World's- record is SJsec, and is held by E. JTolan (U.S.A.), but since this performance was registered another American, Frank Wykoff, has further reduced the time to 9 2-ssee, although as yet it has not been passed as a, world's record by the International Amateur Athletic Federation. According to Simpson, however, who was beaten by inches in the race in which Wykoff ran 9 2-ssee,. there is little doubt that Wykoff 'a performance will be recognised by the I.A.A.F. It has already been passed as an American record. • ■

SCRATCH EVENTS.

At the meeting In "Wellington Carl;, ton will compete against Simpson . in. special invitation races over 100 yards and 220 yards, and each should be an epic event. A. J; Elliott, of Auckland, who represented New Zealand at the British Empire Games in Canada last year, has been invited by the Wellington Centre to take part'in the races, and another competitor will be C. H. Jenkins (Wellington provincial 100 yards and 220 yards xhampion, andalso New Zealand; 220 yards champion), and possibly also J. T> Fleming, of Wellingr ton, New Zealand^ 440 yards champion^ Although.a' definite decision, has not been made by the. Wellington Centre, the two races in all probability will be scratch events. ' Simpson is a worldl renowned sprinter, and apart from the great contests that should be provided, the results' should give an indication of how Carlton should to-day bo rated internatiojiallv., ■..'-•■ .

100 YARDS TRACK.

The 100 yards track that is, being prepared at Athletic.: Park runs from south to north-almost in the centre of the ground, but it has been suggested to the Wellington Centre that for the meeting on 21st February it would be a better plan in case either of Wellington 's two prevailing'winds, north-wes-terly and ■ soutli-easterly, are blowing, to lay down a diagonal, track, running from the south-western; corner to the north-eastern , corner.-. If that were done, it has been pointed out that the runners would neither have the advantage of running \vith the wind at their backs in the case of a southerly nor the disadvantage of running into th& wind in the case of a northerly. It is understood that an equally" good diagonal track in. the direction indicated could be laid down to that at present in use. The president of the Wellington Centre, Mr. A. C KHto, intends discussing tho matter with Mr. C. Collyer,; custodian at Athletic Park.

NEW SOUTH WALES SUGGESTION.

Tho New.". South Wales Association is desirous ■ of the three Americans, Simpson, Kiser, and. Kothert, competing in Sydney on their way to Japan, and to allow of this it has been suggested that.the date of the Americans' final appearance in Wellington, 21st March, should be altered to 19th March, and so permit the visitors to leave the following day and appear at mid-tveok fixtures in Sydney. The 19th March, however, is a Thursday, and would "bo an unsuitable day to hold a meeting in Wellington.