TRACK AND FIELD

Evening Star, Issue 23147, 22 December 1938, Page 4

TRACK AND FIELD

Athletic Notes and Comments Australians at Milton [Dr Pistol.]

FIXTURES January 9.—Evening meeting, at Caledonian Ground. January 21.—Meeting at Brighton February 25.—Otago track and field championships, at Caledonian Ground. March 10 and 11.—New Zealand track and field championships, at Napier. March 11.—New Zealand marathon championship, Napier to Hastings and return. March 23.—Caledonian Society’s annual games. AUSTRALIANS' ITINERARY December 21 (Wednesday).—Compete at Milton. December 26 (Monday).—Compete at Roxburgh. January 2 (Monday).—Compete at Alexandra. January 4 (Wednesday).—Open. January 7 (Saturday).—Compete at Wellington. January 11 (Wednesday).—Compete at Oam a pu. January 14 (Saturday).—Compete at Dunedin. January 16 (Monday).—Compete at Invercargill and depart from Bluff. FIRST APPEARANCE TO-NIGHT AUSTRALIANS AT MILTON The famous Australian runners, Gerald Backhouse and Ted Best, make the initial appearance of the tour being conducted by the Otago Centre at Milton to-night, and everything points to the whole tour not only being the highlight of the local season, hut cul-minating.'-in one of the most successful efforts ever promoted by the Otago Centre of the New Zealand Amateur Athletic Association.

Four classes of amateur wrestling are catered for, there will be quarter-mile, one mile, two mile, and three mile lap points handicap in cycling, a full programme of piping and dancing competition, and men’s and ladies’ business interhouse competitions, the events being march past display, 100 yards, 440 yards, 880 yards, 440 yards hurdles, and 880 yards relay scratch races in the men’s sections and march past, 75 yards, 75 yards skipping, 75 yards hurdles, and 480 yards relay scratch races. Primary and secondary school athletes are also fully catered for.

DUFF AGAIN RUNS WELL Alan Duff again displayed fine form at the centre’s evening meet on Monday night, and his 10 2-sscc for 100yds from the lyd mark was a very good run on a dead track. Duff has not only improved out of the holes, but he lias developed his finish, and he is impressing more with every run he has. J. Strathern, rarely out of a place, finished second to Duff in the 100yds. In G. H. Bilbrough, Civil Service has a middle-distance runner who is going to win races from much shorter marks than he is on at the present time. He scored his second successive win when he took the half-mile in Imin 69 3-ssec, from the 65,vds mark, and he who is now living in Johannesburg. On November 18 she equalled Barbara Burke’s South African 100 yards record of 11 sec, and also the British Empire record of 24.75ec for 220 yards. SPRINTERS STRIKING FORM DUFF AND M'GREGOR RUN WELL The sprinters occupied the spotlight at last Thursday’s evening meet, and several good performances were put up on a thoroughly rain-soaked track, two championship aspirants showing out being Colin M‘Gregor, Otago 220yds titleholder, and A. 11. Duff, the New Zealand University champion at the same distance.

The visit of these Empire Games stars has not been brought about without a lot of preliminary work and negotiation on the part of the Otago Centre, and the man to whom credit must go for bringing to fruition the first local tour sponsored by the Otago Centre is Mr J. G. Barnes, secretary of the centre and former New Zealand mile and cross-country champion. Mr Barnes is an enthusiast in all that lie undertakes, and his thorough organisation and attention to detail are reflected in his work on the centre Without his untiring efforts and to a lesser degree that of several other officials this tour would not have been possible.

M'Gregor is looked on as a distinct prospect for New Zealand junior honours. He turned 18 in October, and has already represented Otago at the national meeting. He ran a good race to win the junior furlong last week, his time being 24 l-ssec. M‘Gregor was striding much more freely than on his previous appearance, and if he elects to get doivn to solid preparation will prove a hard man for any junior to beat over the furlong. Alan Duff has struck form early. He has shown plenty of dash at the evening meetings, and is running really well. His meetings with the Victorian, Ted Best, in the next few weeks shoiild give him a lot of valuable experience, and he will feel the benefits of this racing when the Otago championships come up for decision. Duff is showing much more ability at the start than formerly. In fact, his quickness off the mark cost him a penalty of half a yard in the 75yds handicap, and even then he filled third place to J. S. Shephard, who was off 4yds, the winner clocking 7 4-sscc. Duff was less than a foot back in third place, and in his heat he ran Bsec. It looks as though he will keep the opposition busy in both sprints at the provincial meeting. An excellent run was made by the Celtic United junior, H. F. Coombs, in the junior mile, which he won from the 40yds mark in 4min 47 • l-ssec. This lad has turned on some ideasing performances thjs season, and he finished with plenty to spare on this occasion, going a nicely-judged race and running very easily. If he continues to improve at this rate, he should make things very interesting at the Otago junior championship meeting. The Celtic United Club put uj) a very fine performance in the three-mile handicap, the young club’s representatives filling the first three places. The winner, 11. Carroll, was off the limit, and the pace at which the race was run was shown by the time returned, Minin 32 2-ssoc.

The centre has realised the need for further stimulating interest in the country districts, and besides the meetin" at Milton to-night the' Victorians will appear at Roxburgh on Boxing Day, Alexandra on January 2, Oamaru on January 11, ending with what promises to bo one of the bestmeeß ever held in Dunedin, the centre’s own fixture on January 14.

It is gratifying to know that the two visitors have reached New Zealand in good form and eager to begin racing, and, judging from their performances already this season, they should not be long in getting near their peak. A good contingent of local athletes will visit Milton to-night, and also Roxburgh and Alexandra over the holidays, and with the competition they will have at all these places the Australians should be in excellent shape for their Dunedin appearance, of which the international short-limit mile handicap promises to provide one of the most classic encounters ever staged here. V. P. Boot, the Empire half-' mile champion, has expressed his keenness to meet Backhouse again, and those who recall the thrilling tussle staged between the pair for second place in the record-breaking mile at the Empire Games will vouch for the fact that a great race may be looked for. Although Backhouse headed Boot in the mile in Sydney, a reversal of the result is quite on the cards, and the event will naturally create Dominion-wide interest.

W, Kennedy, well-known cross-coun-try runner, filled second place, from the 220yds mark, and looks like turning out an acquisition to his club on the track. A little more freedom in his action will help him, but he has the right attributes for a good distance man on. the track. Another encouraging feature of last week’s meeting was the increased support given by the Mornington Club, wliose runners were prominent in quite a number of events, L. W. Duncan and I. J. Templeton filling • the first two places in the hop, stop, and jump handicap. The 440yds handicap was well won by G. H. Bilhrough, a police constable ■who shows a lot of natural ability on the track’and finished very well. Jack Gerken was running off 12yds, and went a particularly good race for second place, and if his hurdling has improved proportionately the Civil Service man will register good time over the quartermile hurdles this year.

Ted Best is rated one of the best sprinters Australia has had in years—his performances at the Empire Games speak for themselves —and that he should turn in brilliant time has already been indicated by his performances before leaving Melbourne. A full track and field programme wilt be staged on January 14, which will probably mark the first appearance this season of A. A. Cameron, the New Zealand discus throwing champion. CALEDONIAN SOCIETY SPORTS A verv attractive programme has been drawn up for the annual sports and games of the Caledonian Society, to be held on Thursday, March 23, the anniversary of the province. The prize list on this occasion will total iJOU. and with the president (Mr A. A. Paape) at the head of affairs, the chairman of the Sports Committee (Mr H. R M'Kernan), and the secretary (Mr J. S. Douglas) already having arrangements well under way, the meeting should be an outstanding success. The track and field events comprise 100 yards, 440 yards. 880 yards, one mile" open and novice handicap, one mile walk, 880 yards interclub relay, hop, step, and jump, high jump, throwing the hammer, throwing the javelin, throwing the discus, putting the shot, tossing the caber.

Although Mick Spillano, the Now Zealand champion, is in a class of his own among Otago and Dominion hammerthrowers, there are several quite good performers among the lesser lights locally, several of whom are bordering on the 100 ft mark. M. Murray, allround field athlete, won this event on Thursday, and only four inches separated the three placed men. The best performer was T. Anderson, the Dunedin man sending the hammer to a distance of 98ft 4in, and it will not he long before lie is getting it out well past the 100 ft mark.

ran as though ho had something in reserve. Bilbrongh is a strong runner, but he could develop a somewhat freer action.

M. Collins, a keen little runner, won the junior half-mile handicap off 45yds in 2min 7 4-ssec, but neither he nor Coombs, who was conceding the winner 15yds, ran with such good judgment as usual.

In the shot putt a promising junior was revealed in K. J. Morgan, of the Anglican Club, who sent the 121 b shot to a distance of 38ft l£in. He is a natural putter, and, though his style is still a little crude, he may bo expected to make things, very interesting in this event at the Otago junior championships. Bob Berry, former Southland and Wellington rep. footballer, showed that with a hit of practice he would soon get the 161 b shot out to a respectable mark. He won with a putt of close to 32ft.

Mornington’s representatives again displayed good form, and the winner of the long jump, L. W. Duncan, did 19ft tin in the old pit, quite a good effort. All the places in this event were filled by Mornington men. OLYMPIC SPRINT PROSPECT Fastest human in Australia is the 17-yoar-old Sydney University student, Brian Dunn The “ Ajax ” of athletics eequailed the Australian 100yds record of 9 3-ssec .in an interelub match on December 3. Holder of the record is Jimmy Carlton. Dunn, however, will not be credited with the figures, as the referee ruled that he was assisted by the wind. Dunn gives Australia a genuine hope for the 1940 Olympiad. Barring accidents, he should he approaching world’s figures long before then. On December 3 Dunn made an even-time runner in Harry Gould look like a novice. The champion flashed out of the holes, and Gould had no chance of pacing it with him. On six consecutive Saturdays Dunn has broken records at the Sports Ground. LAVERY'S RECORD The possibility of securing recognition of T. P. Lavery’s 120yds hurdles time of 14see, made at the Empire Games in Sydney, is being investigated by Mr N. Welsford, a former secretary of the South African Amateur Athletic Association (says an exchange). Lavery’s time broke the Games record and equalled the world’s best. The referee of the event (Mr G. Langford) prevented recognition of the record, ruling that the wind assited Lavery.. Mr Langford’s decision met with strong criticism. A newsreel of the race showed clearly that the wind was blowing across the track, and could not possible have helped Lavery. Mr Welsford holds out some hope of the record being recognised, as he has been informed that the certificates have not yet been forwarded to Mr Langford for his endorsement.

Since the Games were held R. Towns nn American negro, has created a world record of 13 9-10scc, and this time has been recognised. but Bnvery’s time would still he an Empire Games record, and the best put up by a South African. NOTES V. P. Boot stands a good chance of winning the 800 metres title at the next Olympic Games in Finland, according to the American coach. A. L. Fitch (says the Christchurch ‘ StarSun’). (Recently Fitch said that if Boot could get away to England or America well in advance of the actual Games he would be a contender with really good prospects. Good work is being done among the field men training at the Caledonian Ground by Jack Anderson, who has been devoting a lot of his time to the coaching of promising athletes at this branch of the sport. The Coaching Committee of the centre is recognising his efforts by co-opting him as a member of the field coaching section. In quite a few quarters it has been mentioned of late that the Now Zealand discus throwing champion, A. A. Cameron, will not be seen in competition this year, but Cameron told “ Pistol ” last week that he will definitely be on hand to defend his title this season. Since he intends foregoing participation in the jumping events and will concentrate mainly on the discus, it is welF within his compass to break his own New Zealander’s best performance and even to lower Harlow Rothert’s New Zealand record, which is not much in excess of his own best mark. Camdron will make his first appearance locally in competition this season early in the New Year.

One of the features of the meeting at the Caledonian Ground on January 14, at which Backhouse and Best will appear, will be the attempt by Otago’s three marathon representatives—G. L. Austin, G. tt. Colston, and C. G. Gibbons—to establish a New Zealand record for 20 miles. No record has yet been made for this distance, but the New Zealand Council has set a standard of two hours, and it will be this mark the runners will attempt to better—a performance any one of the three should be capable of. The race will start at 12.30, the first event on the major sports programme bein" timed for 2.30.

One of tbo most popular athletes to appear locally in recent years is Miss Betty Forbes, the Empire Games rep. from Oamam, and her brilliant efforts in the high jump arc always looked forward to by the public. She has invariably set new figures for. the women’s high jump, and her best effort of sft 2in at the Empire Games has not been equalled in Now Zealand, even by the Canadian girl who set new figures last season. Miss Forbes tied for second place at the Games, but. having more failures to her credit than the other competitor, she was placed third. Miss Forbes has been a regular competitor at meetings in Oamaru this season, and there is every possibility of her competing at the meeting in Dunedin on January 14. She will certainly receive a warm welcome.

South Africa has produced another brilliant woman sprinter. This is Miss Benny, formerly of Eastern Province,