ATHLETICS AND CYCLING.

Greymouth Evening Star, 4 December 1929, Page 4

ATHLETICS AND CYCLING.

NOTES AND COMMENTS. A. Johnson, the Kaiapoi professional sprinter, is now expected on the Coast, and may be ■ expected to figure prominently at meetings later on. At his best Johnson is a first-class performer and has many Sheffields to his credit. N. J. Suckling has started training in Christchurch for his endeavour to lift the New Zealand Half-mile Championship next March. Mr R. H. Cabot intimated at the meeting of the Otago Centre last week that there was a possibility of an Australian University athletic tfeam competing in Dunedin next March, probably before the inter-University meeting at Easter. The Auckland Centre of the New Zealand Amateur Athletic Association has decided on the formation of a subcentre in the Waikato district, with headquarters at Auckland. The Waimate Caledonian Society has received permission from the Canterbury Centre to hold amateur athletic events at its meeting on Boxing Day. At the annual meeting of the Auckland Centre Mr W. J. Davidson was elected president. It was decided to record the centre’s thanks to Mr W. Morton, the retiring president, for the valuable support he had given amateur athletics in Auckland. The Ladies’ Amateur Athletic Club has expressed to the Sports Committee of the Otago Centre that a Mixed Relay, Hop, Step, and Jump, High Jump, and 220 Yards events should be included in the programmes at forthcoming meetings.

The New Zealand Amateur Athletic Association has written to the Canterbury Centre regarding the proposal from the Wellington Centre that harrier clubs should have their activities confined to harrier running. The members present at a meeting of the centre last week considered that the matter was one purely local to Wellington, and it was decided to take no action. Some few Weeks ago (says the Dominion) the suggestion came from one very interested in matters relative to cycle racing, that all riders (amateur) should attempt to remain 'in the same club throughout the summer racing season, and ultimately confer with other centres upon the advisability of securing separate affiliation with the body which’ controls cycling throughout the world. A special meeting was held, but the original suggestion was misinterpreted by a rather poor attendance, and the matter dropped. Had the suggestion been put into effect, a few ridersi would have been affected in Wellington City, but all amateur cyclists in- New Zealand would be greatly assisted. The position regarding affiliation of New Zealand cyclists with the world’s controlling body is to be settled early in the New .Year. Twd bodies from the Dominion have applied for the connection, and the result will vitally affect all amateur riders.

According to the New Plymouth correspondent of the “Auckland Sun,” the friction between Taranaki and Wanganui in regard to the control of amateur athletics is likely to lead to the formation of an independent Taranaki centre, with headquarters at Stratford. Steps in that direction may be taken before very long. Followers of the sport will learn with regret (says the “New Zealand Herald”) that the track has seen the last of T. E. Henry, who was injured last season prior to the New Zealand championships. Henry registered some brilliant performances over 440 yards, and he was confident of breaking the record of 46 2-ssec. However, just a week before the event Henry injured a muscle in his leg, and the injury will prevent him from competing again. Last season he won both the Auckland 440 Yards Flat and 440 Yards Hurdles titles.

Paavo Nurmi, the Finnish long-dis-tance crack, holds a position as draughtsman in a Government office. The Government of Finland gave Nurmi a house, as some token of appreciation of his decision to keep his amateur status, so that he could represent his country at Olympic meetings, instead of accepting the munificent offers to turn professional -which, -were made to him in America. J. W. Savidan has not yet done any serious training (says the “New ZeaIffhd Herald”). The long-distance champion is enjoying a spell from four years’ continuous racing. Both in winter and summer over that period Savidan has been a competitor, and few athletes have travelled more than the Aucklander, whose success in lond-distance running has made him outstanding. Women runners are receiving more encouragement in the South Island this year, so why not in Auckland? There is i a wealth of talent to draw from, considering the fact that two women’s sports associations' are flourishing in the city, and they cater for all classes of athletes. Co-opera-tion between these bodies and the Auckland Centre should produce a girl to give even the best sprinters in Wellington a good run for their money. If Auckland is to regain its lost athletic status it will have to consider women runners as a vital point-getting force at Dominion championship meetings.—“ Auckland Star.”