EVENING SPORTS

Evening Star, Issue 20671, 19 December 1930, Page 4

EVENING SPORTS

WIN FOR M'KNIGHT Despite the wind, conditions were otherwise quite favourable for the last evening track and field meet of > tire present year, staged by the Otago Centro of the New Zealand Amateur Athletic Association, at ilm Caledonian Ground last night, Lbe track being much faster than at some of the recent meetings. There wore good fields in all the events, and the feature of the evening was probably the 11 mile handicap which marked the first win on the track of George 31‘Knight, the son of a former champion, who was off the 100yds mark. The youngster ran with good judgment, and moved freely all the way to win by 50yds, not in the least distressed. J. Q. liarnos, the Canterbury mile and three-mile champion, was second after one of the greatest finishing bursts seen on the Caledonian Ground for years. Barnes, with a lap to go, was 30yds behind .tho second man, Geddes, and running in so laboured a fashion that ho appeared well out of the picture, especially as he has not yet done much hard racing this season. Then with a wonderful burst ovei tho last 250yds, sheer determination carried him into second place syds ahead of Geddes. It was a great effort, but Barnes was completely done. The relay was an exciting race, Civil Service snatching victory on the tape. This club filled all the places in the ] J mile handicap, and one of its members also accounted for tho javelinthrowing handicap, though tlio best actual throw was put up by P. G. Ward—with a throw of over Isoff. J. C. Fogarty gave another line exhibition to won tho half-mile cycle handicap, and G. Forward scored a wellearned win in the thvee-niilo cycle handicap. Mr A. Burk scut the fields away with his usual despatch, and other members of the centre acted as officials. Results:— HALF-MILE CYCLE HANDICAP. • First heat; J. C. Fogartv (scr) 1, D. Thompson (35yds) 2. F. Greenfield (45yds) 3. Seven starters. Fogarty was in a handy position at the bell, and when Thompson went tq tho front along tho back Fogarty attended him closely, and sprinting round tho bend caught Thompson a few yards from tho finishing line to win by a wheel, Greenfield two lengths buck third. Time, Imiii 8 2-sscc.

Second heat: C. G. Lucas (35yds) 1, G. Smith (scr) 2, J. Parsons (15yds) 3. Four starters. Lucas rode a welljudged race, and timing his sprint nicely drew away along the back to win by two lengths, Parsons being a length back third. Time, Imiu 7 4-ssee. —Final.— Fogarty 1 Smith 2 Thompson 3 Lucas was in front entering on the second lap, but Thompson went to the front along the back, Fogarty and Smith commencing their bid . about 200yds from home. They entered the straight neck and neck, but Fogarty made one of his usual determined spurts up the straight, and won by less than half; a wheel, Thompson a length back third. Time, Imiu 8 l-ssec. 300 YARDS HANDICAP. S. F. Corbett (20yds) ... ... ... 1 J M'Crae (22yds) 2 A. L. Price (syds) ; 3 Eleven started. Corbett led out along tho back, and was first into tho straight, but coming fast on the outside Corbett got up to win by a yard, Price putting in a late run for third place a yard back. Time. 33 2-sscc. THROWING JAVELIN HANDICAP. S, Ward (35ft), 159 ft lin 1 P. G. Ward (scr), 101 ft Sin 2 A. J. Holt (30ft), 110 ft Sin ... ... 3 Nine competed. THREE-MILE CYCLE HANDICAP. G. Forward (160yds) 1 J. Spvoule (140yds) 2 W. J. Templeton (160yds) 3 Twenty starters. The back-markers failed to get up but the placed men occupied a handy position for tho greater part of the distance. Sproule jumped into the load at the bell, but • Forward went with him, and along the back tho latter; left Sproule behind, Templeton coming up from behind in a desperate attempt to catch the other two. Forward sustained his sprint, and finished strongly to win by six lengths from Sproule, Templeton being three lengths back third. Time, 7min 33 3-ssee. ONE-MILE INTEROLUB RELAY HANDICAP. Civil Service (B. R. MKornan, B. G. Waller, 31. G. Valk, and C. Thompson), 35yds 1 Pacific (N. I. Pledger. E. Fish, J, Pledgor, and A. G. Holt). 40yds 2 Loitli (H. Masters, S. King, A. M'Rae, and W. Smith), 25yds ... 3 Seven t< competed. There was a thrilling finish. Civil Service winning on the tape.- Leith was 2yds back third, Smith failing in an attempt to get through tho bunch. Time, 3min 55scc. 3HLE AND A-HALF HANDICAP. G. A. 31‘Knight (100yds) 1 J. G. Bal-nes (scr) ... 2 A. R. Gcddcs (25yds) 3 Seven starter's. J. Pledger (135yds) set the pace fertile greater part of the way, but M‘Knight was only a few yards behind with three laps to go, while Barnes was

with Geddes about 60yds back. Geddes seemed to ho going the more easily of the pair, and when 31‘Knight went to tiro front with two kps to go and opened up a big gap Geddes was then lying fourth, ahead of Barnes. At the boll Geddes went into second place, and with less than 350yds to go Barnes appeared hopelessly out of things. MKnight could not he headed, and won by nearly 50yds, finishing quite fresh. By .means of a great-hearted burst 250yds from home Barnes was almost ou terms with _ Geddes entering the straight, and in one of the best finishes seen on the Caledonian Ground for a long time he got up to beat Geddes for second place by syds. Time, 7rnin 22 2-ssec.