Track and Field: Young Athletes Break Many Records at Secondary Schools Meeting

Evening Star, Issue 26067, 3 April 1947, Page 5

Track and Field: Young Athletes Break Many Records at Secondary Schools Meeting

The Waitaki team scored 100 out of a total of 225 points at the annual Otago and Southland secondary schools athletic championships, which w r ere held at Oamaru last week. The team won 13 of the 25 events, and took the shields for the best aggregate in the senior, junior, and intermediate sections.

Waitaki’s superiority was more marked in the intermediate and junior sections than in the senior, in which King’s fielded a strong team, while Otago Boys’ High School and Southland also scored well. The best individual was J. Cunningham, who won three events for King’s. Cunningham is the Otago junior 100 yds 220yds, and broad jump champion, and lie won two secondary schools events at the Caledonian meeting. Two splendid performances were recorded in the middle distance events, new records being made by ,N. V. McPherson (Otago) in the 440yds and by J. Harris (Waitaki) in the 880yds, while , the Waitaki relay team also put up record figures. Winning the 220yds, 90yds hurdles, and high jump, M. P. Ross contributed largely to Waitaki’s total in the intermediate section. N. F. Smith (Southland) ran a splendid halfmile in 2miu 6 3-ssec, over 3sec faster than the previous record. Waitaki completely dominated the junior section, winning every event except the broad jump. P. Moir won both sprints, and B. Peace took the

80yds hurdles and the high jump. A. Aberdeen, after running second to Moir .in the. 100yds, won. the . 440vds, and the ' Waitaki team made a new record in the junior I‘elay. Popular Win. A. L. Fagg, after running consistently throughout the summer, concluded the season with a win in the mile and in the aggregate at the Kaitarigata sports last Saturday. Commencing with the Toko. Club some years ago, Fagg later transferred to Oamaru, and since the war he has been stationed in Dunedin/ Originally a cyclist, he became interested, in crosscountry- and road running, and won the Port Road Race while a, member of the Toko. Club. After a flirt with marathon running, Fagg turned bis attention to pole vaulting, with considerable success, and a best New . ealander’s performance came to him. At Christmas he had the misfortune to dislocate a shoulder, and he was not able to vault for a few weeks.. With his arm strapped up, however, he continued jogging on the tracks, and he won several handicaps. Fagg has-had a- shot at many events, and- at the Otago Centre’s concluding evening last week he won the high jump. His success at Kaitangata was well received. Promising Sprinter. The Toko, runner, K. McLennan, who won a double at the Caledonian meet-

ing, scored in the 100yds at Kaitangata and was well placed in the 220yds. He is a strong runner and more should be heard of him next season. Kaitangata Meeting. As far as Otago is concerned i lie amateur athletic season was concluded on Saturday with a successful meeting at Kaitangata. After a season of strenuous racing, O. Simpson, the junior 440yds champion, successfully took part in the high jump, an event at which he was proficient when at school Miss B. Poultney, a member of the newly-formed Balclutha Club, had the best aggregate among the women competitors, and P. G. Ward, of Kaitangata, and formerly of the Anglican Club, won the javelin throw. He was Otago champion some years ago; and is now' the organiser of ihe Kaitangata meeting. Poverty Bay Record. Running two miles in lOmin 7 2-osec, at a weekly meeting of the Gisborne Amateur Athletic and Harrier Club. J Sloau set a new' Poverty Bay junior record, clipping 2 3-ssec off bis previous best time of lOmin lOsec, established last season bv B. Whitton. Stawell Gift. Melbourne’s main sporting attraction in the blaster holidays will lie the Stawell Gift, for which record entries have been received. The other day the

Bendigo Golden City Thousand, the world’s richest foot race, which was won by the 26-vear-old South Australian. Don Cameron, held the athletic stage. An early surprise was the defeat of 20-year-old Les Pianta. of Xagambie (Victoria!, who had been favourite before the beats. A garage mechanic. Pianta gave up work two months ago to train for the event.