TRACK AND FIELD

Evening Star, Issue 23725, 5 November 1940, Page 5

TRACK AND FIELD

SECONDARY SCHOOLS PERFORMANCES NOTES AND COMMENTS

[By Pistol.]

New High Jump Records. After the unimpressive performances in the high jump at the various school meetings locally some of the displays given by competitors at the interschools meeting last Saturday were most encouraging. The record jump of sfb Ggin by lan Watson, of Southland Boys’ High School, in the senior event illustrated the value of acquiring a proficient style, Watson employing the Western roll, in which he has been carefully tutored by Mr A. J. Deaker, who has done a lot to develop interest in field athletics among schoolboys in the south. It is only a couple of years since began to develop a definite style in high jumping, and the results have been proved well worth while. With the natural ability he possesses it should be only a matter of time before Watson goes on towards the 6ft mark. Several others performed creditably in the senior event, and N. B. Patou, of Waitaki, cleared the bar at sft 4in. An exceptional effort, however, was that of the King’s High School boy P. 0. Walker, who established a new high jump record of sft Sin in the junior division. Walker is only 14, and though he is a tall boy his performance was a very fine one indeed, and well ahead of what lie did at his own school sports. If Walker is carefully coached in the next year or two he should develop into a champion high jumper. Backhouse Wins Mile.

Gerald Backhouse, Australian mile champion, who was in New Zealand some years ago, was fully extended to defeat 40-year-old Harry Dillon by inches in the mile event at Kushcutters Bay recently. The race took 4min to run, 20see outside Backhouse’s best time. As it was the first time Backhouse had run since March, it was a good performance. Backhouse is a member of the Royal Australian Air Force, and lias little opportunity to tram. There is a possibility that be may not run again in Sydney.

A Champion in the Making. C. C. Steel, winner of the senior 100 and 220 yards titles at the secondary schools meeting on Saturday, looks every inch an athlete. Tall and powerfully built, the Waitakian is of the type who should develop into a champion. He has developed since he won the 100yds last year, and now rates as one of the best prospects since Sutherland (the present New Zealand 100yds champion) won the 100, furlong, and quarter in 1937 and made new records m the 220 and 440 yards. Under normal conditions Steel has it in him to follow in Sutherland’s wake, and if he takes part in the Otago junior championships this season should acquit himself well. He is a splendid beginner and does not make the mistake of coming up too quickly after moving from the holes, but runs smoothly into his stride. In all his races he showed fine finishing ability. In a morning heat he clocked 23 l-ssec for the furlong, which was 3-ssec faster than Sutherland’s record. Conditions were not quite so good in the afternoon, but he returned 23 3-ssec. He won the 100yds in 10 4-ssec against the breeze. Junior Schoolboys. Two of the four records broken in the junior section at the interschools meeting on Saturday were credited to B. E. Mackintosh, the Otago Boys’ High School junior champion, but m both sprints he had keen tussles with another first-year school mate in E. J. Carr, who was unable to compete at his own school sports. Mackintosh twice ran the 220yds in 25 2-sseo on Saturday, this being a fifth of a second under the old record. Carr also registered similar time in a heat, hut Mackintosh just shaded him at the finish in the final. The positions were reversed in the 100yds, which Carr won in 11 4-ssec against the breeze. Both lads are sprinters of promise, and in addition Mackintosh has considerable ability as a long jumper. He established a new record of 17ft 9iin, and, incidentally, A. Campbell (also of Otago), who had to be content with second place, lowered the existing record also, his best effort being 17ft S^in.

Allen to Run in Wellington, Theo. Allen, a sweet mover and one of the very best middle-distance runners developed in New Zealand in recent years, will be appearing with the Wellington Athletic Club in local competition this year (says the ‘ Sports Post ’). Allen, who is at the Trentham Mobilisation Camp, had a training spin at Hataitai last Saturday. In the last two or three years his activities have been restricted, due. to muscular trouble, but his leg at the moment is sound enough. Allen won the national half-mile title in 1937, and the next season he went across to the Empire Games at Sydney. In h.s heat of the 880yds he made an Australian record, only to have the figures lowered in the second'race by his fellow countryman, V, P. Boot. Allen’s greatest effort last summer was at Masterton, when, with Boot. C. H. Matthews, and W. A. C. Pullar, he made an attempt on the world’s four-mile record. It was no fault of Allen’s that the attack narrowly failed. He ran a tick outside 4min 19sec.‘ If he can compete regularly in Wellington he will invest middle-distance events here with considerable interest. , M'Glashan Runners to the Fore. Saturday was a day of sound effort on the part of the M’Glashan College representatives at the secondary schools championship meeting, and three of the best performances of the day were put up by wearers of the college colours. Standing out, of course, was R. Elvidge,. who retained his senior 440yds title with a well-run race in the final for an easy win in 53 4-ssec, 4-ssec better than Sutherland’s record, which he equalled in the heat. Elvidge was also second in the furlong, but he is naturally adapted for the quarter-mile, being a very strong strider and a great finisher. The M’Glashan boy has largely concentrated his efforts at this meeting on the quarter, though he is

versatile in a number of track events, and he will be well advised if he continues to specialise in an event at which lie has shown such outstanding ability. Although E W, M‘Douali did not shatter the mile record of J. W. Berry, he won in 4min 27 2-ssec, being within three seconds of the existing mark. M'Douail ran an excellentlyjudged race and displayed good style, and when he made his bid from the furlong mark he was the only one in it. At his own school sports M'Douall clocked a shade over 4min 53sec, and there is no doubt he has great possibilities as a miler. The college team rounded off a good day’s work with a fine win in the mile relay in 3min 55 l*ssec, 2 4-ssec better than the record established by a M'Glashan quartet at Invercargill last year. Debatable Decision. Southland Boys' High School has produced some outstanding javelin throwers in the last few years at the intcrschools meeting, and W. A. Thomson, who threw the javelin 132 ft 7in on Saturday, showed that he was well up to standard. It is a matter for regret, and certainly one of which the wisdom will be debated, that the secondary schools athletic association has decided m future to eliminate this event from the championship programme. The arguments advanced in favour of dispensing with the javelin throw seemed to the writer to tackle the problem from the wrong angle. The point was stressed that only a handful of boys took up javelin throwing compared with those who engaged in running, nut there is not the slightest doubt that there are many boys with little natural ability on the track, but perhaps with some latent talent for throwing, revealed perhaps first of all with. the cricket ball, whose efforts could be directed towards javelin throwing with good results. The question of danger would surely be overcome by adequate supervision, even if only by a senior boy, and that of cost should not be an obstacle, for the president of the Otago Centre of the N.Z.A.A.A. (Mr C. W. Clark) declared that his centre would probably be only too pleased to assist schools who could not secure shafts. Such events as javelin throwing might well be expected to appeal to the smaller schools where there are not always the numbers to provide keen track competition, and it is at least some satisfaction to know that the position will be reviewed at. the nest annual meeting of the association.

Alteration of Name. The D.S.A. Ladies’ Athletic Chib has undergone a change of name, and in fuline will be known as the Otago Ladies’ Amateur Athletic Club. It is the intention ot the club to cater as much as possible for those girls who take part in interhouse competition and encourage them to carry on wn ,1 the sport after the interhouse meeting, the club already has a good membership, which should be considerably increased during the coming season. Civil Service Runner’s Success. Colin Walker, who was one of the mainstays of the Civil Seryico Club’s junior cross-country team during the .ast two yoavsi is now stationed at Devonport -Naval Base, undergoing training for the Navy. Recently the trainees held a four-mile road run, and in a field of 60, Walker was suecessful in winning the run home, due following week he won a five-mile race 101 the new trainees. Notes. The meeting held - af Mosgiel was one of the most enjoyable of last season, and it will bo good news for athletes to learn that the Otago Centre is to conduct another Saturday afternoon fixture there next month. Air Force athletes will no doubt be specially catered for, and the meeting should further stimulate interest in the sport in the Taieri. The most surprising thing about the senior half-mile at Saturday’s meeting was the good time of 2min 8 3-ssec after the slowly-run first quarter, but the winner, G. B. Brown, of Waitaki, knew what ho was about when he raced to the head of the field from the start and steadied the pace up. He was not headed, and entering the second lap quickened his clip avid finished brilliantly, the second quarter being covered in 58sec. Brown is another very powerful runner, with fine prospects as a middle-distance performer. B. Soanlan, who won the junior quartermile for Christian Brothers’ High School on Saturday, had rather a strenuous day with two heats of the 100yds, one of the furlong (he withdrew from the final), and two of the 440yds, and this may have accounted for his being attacked by cramp just before the start of the quarter-mile final. Hoiyever, the youngster quickly settled into 'his stride and simply cleared out from the rest of the field to win in 56 2-ssec, which equalled the existing record. This lad is a natural runner, having a good action and sound judgment of pace, and if he does not overdo things should be heard from in a year or two. Brian Dunn, whose breakdown early in the year gave an impression that he might not again show the brilliance of a few years back, looks like upsetting the pessimists (says the ‘Sporting Globe’). Making his first appearance on Saturday in the interclub events, he covered the 100yds in lOsec, easily the best time of the afternoon. Though there was a following breeze, he was not extended, and if pressed would have clipped something from that time. It was the fastest time of the day, and other runners had the same advantage. He also did 22ft lOin in the broad jump, and a fast 220 in the relay. It looks as if Brian is a long way from being through. During his visit to the Dominion last year Dunn was defeated by John Sutherland, the New Zealand 100yds champion.

A newcomer to local athletics is Lieutenant R. E. Johnston, N.Z.S.C., who is linking up with the Anglican Harrier and Amateur Athletic Club. Lieutenant Johnston should be an asset to the sport in Otago, for during the four years he was at Duntroon Royal Military College in Australia he was prominent in mile running, and before that figured with success at Auckland Grammar School.