THE ATHLETIC CHAMPIONSHIP MEETING.

Evening Star, Issue 9057, 13 February 1893, Page 2

THE ATHLETIC CHAMPIONSHIP MEETING.

Fswoabt ui-,1 To dayVrntbigljc on theßasln Reserve moat be aQrtnnted one of the most •uqpeiiUU i yet held under theauspioet Amsj£ij£f Athletic Association. The weather was ffine overhead, with a light nor'-west wind blowing. The traok waa in splendid oondition, and the attendance waa satisfactory, nambering about 4,500. So well aoatained waa the interest, owing to the aplendid finishes repeatedly provided, that the orowd remained till after the programme was brought to a dose and the formal presentation of prizes completed. The times were satisfactory, bat, owing to the stiff standards sell up, badges will not be presented to the winners of many of the events. To ahow the utter ridionlonsness of some of the standards I need only mention the throwing of the hammer (161b) from a nine-foot circle. This item found a place on the Association's programme this year for the first time, and the Committee, noting on the world's record made in America, had fixed the standard at ! 100 ft. The beßt throw was 88ft 7in, and it goes without saying that no amateur in the colony ia equal to throwing the hammer the distance which was fixed for this event. Doubless, in the light of today's experience, the standard for next year will be considerably reduced. Other failures to reaoh the standard times were the 100 yds race, the half-mile flat, the three mile walk, the 120 yds hurdles, the 250 yds flat, the high jump, quarter of a mile flat, and three-mile flat, wnile the standard wan reaohed by West in the pole jump (10ft 0£to), by Rosa Gore (21ft 0£ln) and Taiaroa (20ft 6io) in the long jump, by M'Cormack (37ft 7i»n) in weight-putting, and by Matsou (61 4 sseo) and Moir in the quarter-mile hurdle*. The battle for the banner given to the club whose competitors Bcored the largest number of points was a keen one between Wellington and Ghristchurch, and it waa decided by the result of the concluding event. Thia waa the quarter-mile hurdles, and Wellington up to this time bad scored 48 points againßt Canterbury's 40. The latter hod to scoop the pool to win—the points allotted being 5 for a win, 3 for a seoond, and 1 for a third—and this Canterbury succeeded in doing, thanks to Matson, Moir, and Beadle, who finished in that order. The final result was—Canterbury 49 points, Wellington 48, Dunedin 28. Canterbury bad tixteen representatives, Wellington thirteen, and Dnnedin only five. Canterbury secured fire ohampionships, su seconds, and six thirds; Wellington eight championships, a tie with Manawatu for first and second in high jump, one second, and six thirds ; DuDedin two championships and six seconds. Manawatu scored 4 points —a tie with Wellington in the high jump ; but the solitary Ancklander failed to get a place in either of the hurdle races in which he contested. The following events were decided after we went to press on Saturday : 120 Yards Hurdles. New Zenlmd amateur record, 18sec; standard, 16 3 53c0. FINAL. Moir, Canterbury _ .. ..1 Taiaroa, Dunedin .. .. ..2 Po9tlethwaite, Canterbury .. .. 3 A beautiful race all through. The trio were abreast till the fifth hurdle, when Moir forged ahead, and woo all out by 2ft, Taiaroa beating Postlethwalte by a few inches. Time, 10 4-Ssec. 250 Yards Flat.—New Zealand amateur record, 24 3-sscc; standard, 203-5800. Thisraoo was run up-hill, there being a slight fall In the ground. Darey, Nathan, and Heywood ran In the first heat, and they finished in that order, Daroy winning by fully 6yds. Time, 28 l-6sec. The second heat resulted by a yard in favor of Low, who got away badly, Harley being seoond, and slackening off. Robinson lid at fl»t, but was out-paced. Time, 27 4-saec. riNAL. Harley .. .. .. .. l Low .. .. .. .. 2 Darey .. ~ .. ..3 Harley got all the best of a good start, and soon put 6yds between him and Low, while Daroy was blocked. At the turn Harley was 2yds in front., but Low began to overhaul him, and for the la?t 26yds a great struggle ensued, Harley touching the tape about Sin in front of Low. Darcy was a good tbird, and Nathau last. Harley fell immediately after passing tho post. Time, 27 3 sseo. High Jump.—New Zealand amateur record, 6ft 6}in ; standard, 6ft 7in. F Meyrick (Manawatu) and R Ooro (Wellington) tied with sft 61n. C Gore, sft Sin, was third. H W Postlethwalte, 6ft 2in, also Jumped. A start was made at 4ft llin, and Postlethwalte was the first to go out. Of the others, Meyrick and R Gore got over 6ft fin, but in repeated attempts failed to get any higher Throwing tub Hammkr.—l6lb; length of handle, 4ft > standard, 100 ft. O M'Cormack (Wellington), 83ft 7in .. 1 J F Wachsmann (Canterbury), 84ft 4in 2 The only competitors. M'Cormack threw 87ft 2Jin with bis first throw, and Wachsmann 68ft 4in. Tiirek-milb Walking! Rack.-Now Zealand amateur record, 23mln 16 2-ssec; standard 23min SOseo. G Galloway, Dunedin .. ..1 RN Thomas, Canterbury .. ..2 C F Adams, Wellington .. ..3 Galloway led from the start, and at the end of the first mile—walked in Bmin—waa four or five yards ahead of Thomas, who was a dozen ahead of Adams. In tho second mile Adams fell away, beaten, while Galloway further increased his lead from Thomas. At the end cf the second mile—finished in lOmin 16scc— Galloway was 100 yds in front, and, walking in fine (•tyle, ho won hy 250 yds, Adams being a lap behind. Time, 24min 3Gsec. Long Jump.—New Zealand amateur record, 20ft 11 Jin; standard, 20ft 6in. R Gore (Wellington), 21ft o}in 1 J Taiaroa (Dunedin), 20ft 6in 2 H W Postlethwalte (Canterbury), 20ft Siin .. 3 A Llngard (Canterbury), A Good (Wanganui), F Pownall (Wellington), and G Johnston (Wellington) nlso jumped. Taiaroa had the lead until Gore's last jump, when, with his utmost effort, he passed tho tine. One of the judges gave it no jump, but the other objected, and the referee, His Worship the Mayor, gave it a jump. It whb alleged that Gore fell baok, but the referee's decision w<s favorably rtceived. Gore's jump is a record for New Zealanl. Quarter mils Flat Rack New Zealand amateur record, 60 2-6seo. Gurr, Wellington .. .. ..1 Low, Dunedin .. .. ..2 Fitzpatrick, Canterbury .. ..3 Hafley (Wellington) and F. Pownall (Wellington) also started. Low got all the worst of the start and Gurr the best. The latter went to the front and led Fitzpatrick by a few yards, Low lying last. At the half-distance Fitzpatrick passed Gurr, and Low began to move up. A hundred yards fiom home Fitzpatrick appeared to ha winning easily, but Gurr went at blm, and Low put in his claim. Passing the Btaod Gurr was at the leader's elbow,' with Low outside. A great struggle ensued to the tape, Gurr breasting it a couple of inches In front of Low, with Fitzpatrick, who was very much distressed, an exoellent third. Time, S3 4-sseo; standard, 62aeo. Putting tub 16lb Wbioiit.—New Zealand amateur record, 37ft Bin; standard, 37ft. M'Cormaok (Wellington), 87ft 7in .. 1 J Moir (Canterbury), 84ft ljin ..2 The only competitors. Tiirbb-milb Flat Racb. Burk, Dunedin _ .. ..1 Rees, Canterbury .. ~ „ 2 Cooper, WelUb'gjion «. „ 3 W Rankin (Wanganui) and G Goldie (Wellington) also ran. The field were together for the' first mile, Which was flolehed In Smin 27sec. Goldie and Rankin were ,tben in front, and the positions were little changed at the end of the seoond mile, which was finished in llmin Usee. At the end of two miles and a-half Rees and Burk took a deoided lead, with Cooper third, Goldie and Rankin being beaten. The leading pair went together until the last lap, when Burk spurted, and passing Rees 100 yds from the post oame on and won by about 10yds. Cooper was 60yds away third. Time 16min lDJseo. 440 Yards Hurdles. Matson, Canterbury ~1 J Moir, Canterbury .. ..2 Beadlt, Canterbury .. ..3 Good (Wanganui), Harley (Canterbury), Martin (Auckland), and Pownall (Wellington) also ran. Good led for 200 yds, when the trio of Canterbury men passed him, and gained all three places amidst great ohaering, as it decided the holdershlp of the banner. Time, 614-6 sec. The gate money taken at the meeting amounted to L 249, which is said to be a record. February 13. Concerning the prinoipal events it may be said that Gurr almost threw away the halfmile by the great bat at whioh he out out the firat quartor—viz., 55sec. Bark struggled gamely, and, closing the gar), managed momentarily to head the Wellington man, who', however, with a' supreme effort; regained the lead and squeezed home amid intense excitement by ia couple of inches!. In the three-mile walk Galloway waa never pearled, and .leaving Thomas inthesecdnd mfte bad no one to help him to make the pace. times were':—One mile, Bmin; two miles, ls3mjn Ifjaeo; three thilei, 24mih 36 l-Sseo, The final pf the 7.soyds flat' saw Harley, on the inside, firat away, and he kept his position, though Low oame fast in the straight, and suffered defeat by an inch only. Low, by looking over his shoulder for Darey, who had won the first heat and was regarded as bis most dangerous opponent, put himself out of stride, and this oost him the race. Great disappointment was felt at Hampton's withdrawal from this event, but presumably he wishes to retire from running with championship honors, anfiTwxijJJn' nojt Ask defeat. His not starting cost bia olqd fV'bann*r. M'Cormaok, as anticipated, won patting thflrweigbt, bis put being 37ft 7|in, against 34ft 1 Jin by Uo|r. A surprise was, however, furnished in the long jump. Taiaroa was everybody's pick, and when, with his

second attempt, he covered 20ft 61n, bis viotory wasLJroelaimeJ, but Ross Gore, with bis lssmanoe, did a phenomenal perflatting 21ft OJln, and thus beating "TsJSbTs reeWTtoaru reoordby an inch. It Wis la eenaeotion. with this jump that the onl»idistttbfaotlon experienced daring the dajpras showjn. Mr King, who was one of tbj judges, declared It no jump, because of the manner in whioh Gore had landed ; but the second judge (Mr M'Ardell) gave it a jump, and Mr H. D. Bell (the referee) upheld the latter's deoislon. This finding is open to doubt, for Gore certainly fell backwards, then sprang forward, and jumped away. Seotion 20 of the rules whioh bears on the point says:—" Any competitor falling back or stepping baok after jumping, suoh jump shall not be measured. The quartermfle flat famished the best finish for that distance ever seen on the Basin Reserve. Gurr made the running for 300 yds, when Fitzpatriok closed on him, and Low, who had lost 7yds at the start and had acted as whipper-in up till this stage, also began to oloee up. Halfway up the straight Fitzpatriok was in front, but gave way again to Gurr, who breasted the tape about an inoh in front of Low, with Fitzpatriok falling under the tape at the same moment. Low finished the strongest of the three, and must have won if he had been properly set when the starter discharged the pistol. As in the half-mile, sheer gameness brought Gurr home in the 440 hurdleß. Hailey, when leading, fell on landing after clearing the second hurdle, and Good carried the field along till the third obstacle from home, when all dosed up, and a grand race resulted in Watson's favor, with Moir five yards away, and Beadlo a good third. Time, Gl 4 sseo, or 2-sseo behind the world's amateur record. As already mentioned, Dunodin only sent five competitors to the meeting, but they were a formidable quintet, and, creditable as their record undoubtedly is, it would have been Btill better with a soupeon of luck. Low especially was unfortunate, and one of his seconds at least ought to have been a championship. Ho was generally voted the prettiest and strongest rnnner present on the ground. Reference has already been made to the manner in whioh Taiaroa was deprived of the long-jump gold medal. His other appearance was in the 120 yards hurdleß, in whioh he finished so olobb to Moir that the referee's aid had to be invoked to place them. The veteran Burk was a grand seoond in the half-mile. The three-mile flat was run at a paoe to suit him to a nioety. He proved a perfect bulldog, and ran away in the last lap from Reel, who frankly admitted that he had been tatmatohed. Burk's win was the most popular one of the day, and he had the distinction of being shouldered and oarried into his dressing room, the orowd meanwhile cheoring him to the eoho. It was an ovation that he was justly proud of. Ftndlay's only appearanoe was in the mile walk, in whioh he was a satisfactory seoond. The fifth man in our team was Galloway, and no one had the ghost of a chance with him in the three-mile walk, although nearly the whole of the events were considered open when tho meeting began. My anticipations in the majority of instances were borne out. Burk I placed seoond to Gurr in the half-mile. I gave Taiaroa seoond place in the 120 hurdles. I pronounced straight out for Galloway in the threemile walk. I tipped Burk for the three - mile raoe, with Rees seoond ; and seleoted Low or Gurr for the quarter-mile ; while I stood by Taiaroa in tho long jump. The local tipsters were all astray, having greatly underrated the Dunedin representatives.