ATHLETICS

Evening Post, Volume CXIII, Issue 1, 2 January 1932, Page 19

ATHLETICS

BY "SPRINTE/t"

CLUB POINTS

ATHLETIC IN TOP PLACE

NOTES ON COMPETITORS

■.Records kept by Mr., T. S. Philpott, secretary of the Wellington Centre, show that the following points had been gained by tho different clubs at the two Contro meetings hold to date, tho first on 28th Novo.mber and the other on 19th December: — " Athletic 115 Wollington 62 Olympic 31 Kiwi . 31 "University... .... 24 Petone ................ 24 Miramar .:...... 15 Scottish' Harriers 12 Lower Hutt 9 These points do not include tho points awarded for the parade of athletes. It will bo.noticed from tho table that representatives of the Athletic Club have done exceedingly well and have a comfortable lead from the Wellington Club. The Athletic Club this season probably is stronger than it has ever, been, r-Jticularly so far as cycling is concerned, and it is very largely to the.successes gained in this branch of the sport that tho club owes its present position. Country Clubs' Meeting. Unfortunately, through the date for the meeting being altered from New Year's Day to Boxing" Day, the Masterton Club, winners of the M'Villy Shield last season, were not represented at the country clubs' championship gathering at Dannevirke. Apparently the championships originally were set down for New Year's Day and when advice was received of tho alteration of the date most of the -Masterton Club representatives had entered for the Mangatainoka Club's gathering, which has been held annually on Boxing Day for the past thirty years. Palmerston North was also not represented. The cycling-events at the championship meeting attracted the largest fields and provided the best competition. M. Gane, well known in Wellington as a member of the Wellington Club, who is now stationed at Havelock North, was successful in two of the cycle championships, winning both the mile and three mile events. Several of the competitors won two and even three titles, and, interestingly enough, it was in the field events that the best performances were registered. In the long jump R. Gillespie- (Napier) cleared 20ft lOin, beating last year's performance by C. Houseman' (Masterton) by 10in; and R. Callinan (Napier), who had a most successful day, did "43ft lin in the hop, step, and jump, as against tho figures of 41ft 4ifn made by C. Grantham (Masterton) last year. The M'Villy Shield was won easily by Napier with 100 points, Dannevirko being runner-up with 67 points. Mangatainoka Sports. A most successful meeting-was held by the. Mangatainoka Club. The fields were- the largest for years, record entries being received in practically every event. Among the competitors were several from Wellington, including E. Watson (Kiwi Club), L. W. and A. Sowerby (Athletic Club), aud E. 'Mulford (Petone). Watson, with a start of 20 yards, was virtually scratch in the half-mile handicap, which ho won by five yards from R. L. Darley (Auckland) in lmin 59 l-ssec. He also competed in the one milo handicap, finishing second from tho 50yds mark. Mulford gained first place off 180 yards in the two miles B grade cycle handicap, and finished third in the three miles cycle handicap. L. W. Sowerby was second in the five miles cycle hanoacap, third in the one mile B grade race, and dead-heated with A. Sowerby for third place in the two miles event. Form at Centre Meeting. The best performance of the afternoon at the last sports meeting held at Athletic Park by the Wellington Centre was the dual win of H. J. M'Leod who captured both tho half-mile and the mile. He was on good marks certainly, but it was his fine finishing effort in, each that impressed. G C Prosser went well in the mile, but when he made his final spurt for th.c tape he found M'Leod more troublesome than he anticipated. M. Cook, late of Hayings, who, off 40 yards, was virtually scratch with Prosser, moved nicely and should be prominent a little later on. He has a free, oasy style. G. Bayne, the New Zealand champion, had a canter in the half-mile, but his name was not on the programme for the mile, although it is understood he would have started had permission been given. In the 100 metres handicap C H Jenkins went very much better than • *J e o Pct°ne meeting. His first placein 11 3-ssee in the first heat was good and in the final he was oiiiy narrowly beaten by M. B. Furlong in 11 l-ssec. Other sprinters when having an aftornoon off would do well to get up in tho grandstand to see tho full effect of .Tenkms'g speed over tho first twenty or thirty yards. There was a wonderful comparison on' Saturday between his pace and that of the others. With little" practice' yet, L. M M'Greevy turned in a good triple loap of 44ft 3m to win the hop, step, and jump from scratch. His performance was very encouraging. Each of the two hurdle events attracted only two competitors, and were in consequence poor affairs. H

'Well treated by the handicapper Miss N. Payne (Petone) won both the 300 meters and 100 yards ladies' events Miss E. Blatherwick showed improvement, but she is not back to her best yet. The New Zealand lady champion Miss Thelma Kench, showed that she has not yet struck form. Miss C. Millar registered the best performance among the ladies with a sterling run over the last 110 yards of the relay. This probably was the best finish of the afternoon. , .

Wellington's win in the one mile medley relay race came as a surprise to possibly at least two teams. > A good deal of the credit was due A. j<\ Harding, who ran the half-mile. Had ho failed, Wellington's task would have been difficult.

T._O'Brien, of Canterbury,: was disappointing in the cycle dvents. ■: B. Lyster and P. N. Eobinson maintained their consistency. " " ■ '

The possibility of obtaining " more competitors for the ladies' bvents was discussed at a meeting of the Auckland Centre. It was decided to approach thp Inter-house Oirls' Association and discuss _ the advisability of holding two carnivals featuring ladies' events in anattempt to unearth and encourage taleatj' '' ""