DISQUALIFICATION OF QUINN

Evening Post, Volume CXXVII, Issue 59, 11 March 1939, Page 25

DISQUALIFICATION OF QUINN

BLOW TO WELLINGTON

PULLAR'S FINE EFFORT

[From "The Post's" Special Reporter.)

NAPIER, This Day

Although Wellington representatives were prominent, the events did not quite- work out in all respects as was anticipated. The disqualification of Quinn after winning a record heat in the 440 yards was a blow, not only to Quinn himself but to the Wellington team, but as a'compensation from the team viewpoint in the general run of events was Pullar's win in the mile from Boot. It was a splendid effort and a great race.

Altogether the meeting opened on an eventful note and the performances were such as to give promise of sparkling performances this afternoon. The greenness of the. turf was in marked contrast to the countryside around, but it had been given special preparation, having been hosed. Rain fell on Thursday and as a result the track last night was not as fast as it otherwise would have been. Still, the times recorded showed that it was not slow.

The meeting was well run and several innovations were introduced, such as place-getters mounting a Victory Stand after the Olympic Games style on the completion of each championship.

The first championshin honours went to Wellington with Pullar's win. On his right on the Victory Stand stood Boot and on his left Wade, while the flags of their respective provinces were hoisted to the masthead above them. A trumpet sounded as spectators and officials stood' bareheaded in salutation of the competitors' achievements. The only fault in a well-run meeting was the holding of the broad ;jump near the end. The light was failing badly and

competitors did not do themselves justice. Phillips" was obviously feeling for the take-off board in the bad light, and having been "no-jumped" a couple of times, rather than risk disqualification he had to reduce his run up to the board. Bradwell and Sharpley each won the sprint hurdles heats decisively, but Sharpley should win the final. P. T. Bowie (Auckland), present champion, was not a competitor. Bradwell may stand a greater chance of beating Sharpley in the '220 yards hurdles. Sharpley will have a busy time, for he will also be in the 100 yards final. In his heat of "the 100 yards Sharpley rather surprisingly defeated the present champion, Quinn, thus constituting a definite threat to Wellington's hopes in the ' first two places in the final, but as Sharpley only ten minutes earlier today will have contested the sprint hurdles final, Wellington's representatives, Quinn. ana Eastwood, will have the advantage. Eastwood ran a strong race in his heat and cannot.be ruled out as a possible winner. .| BOOT AND PULL.AR. Pullar's win was a triumph for tactics. Boot has not won a reputation as a tactician. In the mile he showed poor judgment, but apart from that he did not appear to be having quite as smooth a run as earlier in the season. He certainly never looked happy. Pullar never seemed to be bothered. He moved out.about a furlong from the finish and Boot spurted a little later. Those with a knowledge of Boot s sprint expected it to be too much for Pullar to withstand, but Pullar had the advantage of the inner running and Boot, on the outside of him, try as he would, could not get past. Pullar, running grandly, drew away from the fading Boot to win by five yards, with two yards between Boot and Wade, the winner last season. The time was distinctly good, and Pullar s win was very popular. He was presented with the Lovelock Cup as he stood on the Victory Stand. Pullar s sectional times were:—Quarter-mile, 6Bsec; half-mile, 2min 2sec; threequarters, 3min 18sec. Pullar's time was a ground record. The three 'placed men, and also R. Longley (Hawkes Bay), who was fourth, all broke the New Zealand standard. '■-,-. „ . In the absence of Cameron (Qtago), J. Morgan was the winner; of his first New Zealand title in the discus. He was a New Zealand representative at the last Empire Games. Robinson (Wellington) was not troubled to win the first heat of the furlong. The second heat was a tougher contest, Duff (Otago) and Phillips (Hawkes Bay) making Eastwood run out. Eastwood again went a good race. Quinn is not defending his title in this eventRobinson should win the final vntii Eastwood second. After having hung closely to him Kingston, the longlegged Hawke's Bay walker had to let Watson (Otago) go in the latter stages of the three miles walk. Watson is a class above the rest, and won very comfortably. McCarthy (Wellington) trailed Watson and Hingston for about a mile and a quarter, but then dropped back, not being able to raise the speed to foot it with the other two.. .He finished 70 yards behind Hmgstoti. Pedersen (Wellington) was fourth well "hsck" ;. . - \. The present champion, Anderson (Canterbury), showed that he is. JS good as ever in the first heat of the 400 yards hurdles. The second heat was won by Ramsay (Otago), who finished fast as he did in his heat m the 200 yards hurdles in which Sharpley equalled his New Zealand record. Running strongly, particularly in the middle stages, Tyrie (Otago), who won the title in 1936, finished two yards ahead of Robinson in the first heat of the quarter-mile, his time of 49 2-ssec being a track record. The^Previous best time was set by J. Watt (Wellington). . ; OUINN DISQUALIFIED. This heat was a harder one than the second in which Quinn coasted in to win from Wallace and the other Wellington .representative, Eva^s.;. -~TJtie.s,e^ two also eased up. Then came theblow, the announcement of Quinn's disqualification for stepping outside his lane at one of the bends. Quinn said after the meeting that he was unaware he had done anything of tnis nature, but the lap steward was definite that Quinn had committed a breach, and the referee, Mr. R. W. McVilly, imposed disqualification. Quinn was' noticed to survey the field once or twice during the race, and while doing so he apparently ..inadvertently, stepped over into inbther lane for a "stride or two. It was hard luck, especially as Quinn was not defending his 220 yards title in the hope of winning the quarter-mile to fulfil an ambition he has held for some time. With him out the final is robbed of a certain amount of interest, but nevertheless will still be one of the races of the afternoon.

Tyrie is powerful and undoubtedly, is in good form. He appeals as a hard man to beat. Robinson may go a very good race in the quarter-final. He was not all out in his heat. If Evans has recovered his form of a few meets back and the occasion is not too great, he too should be well to the fore.

Championship points are as follows: —West Coast, North Island, 10; Wellington, Canterbury, Otago, 7; Hawke's Bay, 4; Auckland, 0.