PROMISING TALENT

Evening Star, Issue 23833, 13 March 1941, Page 14

PROMISING TALENT

WOMEN'S AND JUNIOR CHAMPIONSHIPS OTAGO MANAGER'S IMPRESSIONS ‘‘lf it is possible to maintain the high standard that was shown this year at Wanganui, there should be some great talent available to the sport in the future,” said Mr Ij. R. M’Millan, manager of the Otago team, in commenting to the ‘ Star ’ on the recent New Zealand women’s and junior athletic championships. Mr M’Millan said , there were some athletes who stood out above the others, and on the track a particularly promising trio comprised H. Potter (Wellington), winner of the 100yds; C. R. Bailey (Canterbury), winner of the 220yds; and H. Nelson (Otago), who won the mile in record time. Another runner who! impressed . was P. G. Kissell (Wellington), whose stylo in winning the quarter-mile was reminiscent of George Golding, the Australian athlete, who appeared here some years ago. Nelson undoubtedly proved himself one of the best distance prospects Otago has ever had, and in the mile, Air M’Millan stated.

he dominated the field throughout. He ran well within himself, while his team mates, A. Edwards and R. G. Black, made the early running for him, with Nelson close on their heels. Nelson went to the front in the third lap, and cleverly made the pace to suit himself. He was not headed, and won easing up by 15yds in a new record time of 4min 30sec. His lap times were 69see. 69. 71, 61. Edwards also showed that he is definitely a miler of promise, and he would do well to concentrate more attention on this event G, M, Webb, the young Invercargill sprinter, shaped well, and finished second in heat and final of the junior 220yds. He is inclined at present to throw his head back when the pressure is,on, and with a little more attention to his style should obtain still better results. The oustanding field athlete was K. J. Morgan, of Otago, and although. he was feeling the effects of influenza, he established a new discus throwing record of 130 ft iOjin, and also won the shot putt. He intends making a further attempt on bis own discus throwing record at Kaitangata this mon til. J Radich (West Coast, North Island) is a young Greek athlete of great ability. He won the javelin throwing and was second in the shot and discus. The Otago athlete, J. R. Hyslop, who was second in the mile walk, showed particularly impressive stylo which was very favourably commented upon by good judges present at, the meeting. The Otago girls performed well, and Miss Nancy Hanjiu fulfilled expectations by win-

ning the shot put. She may attack her own New Zealand record at Kaitangata next month. Mr M’Millan said that Miss Betty Forbes, of Oamaru, was still in a class of her own as a high jumper, and Miss Heather Race, of Kaitangata, who is only 15, was likely to develop into one of the best javelin throwers New Zealand has had. In the track events, Misses P. Malone and J. M’Grath performed well, and it was a very good effort on Miss M’Grath’s part to get third in the women’s 100yds championship, only sft separating the placed girls. She won her heat of the 75yds, but did not reproduce the same form in the final, finishing a close fourth to her teammate, Miss Malone, who was third. Miss Malone showed as good form as ever, and Mr M’Millan, commenting on what ho described as faulty judging in several events, said that the most noteworthy instance was the first heat of the 220yds women’s championship, in which Miss Malone was a clear second, but was not placed at all.

Mr M’Millan said that the arrangements for the meeting were good, and the chief field judge was Mr J. Morgan, the Empire Games athlete, who did his job exceptionally well. That old stalwart, Mr George Benson, was the starter, and he proved a particularly able official. Mr W. Springer and Mr A. 0. Bourgeois looked after the welfare of the visitors, wiio wore very hospitably entertained, and Mr M’Millan expressed bis I banks to Mrs Bevcgo, of Ara mobo. wbo bad billeted two members of Iho Otago I cam amt had thrown tier home open to oilier members of the .team.