AMATEUR ATHLETICS

Grey River Argus, 1 December 1938, Page 9

AMATEUR ATHLETICS

NOTES AND COMMENTS. Last Tuesday’s sports, as seems to be getting usual, became last Thursday’s sports by reason of heavy rain making the track impossible. Grave fears were entertained for the Saturday meeting when stormy conditions prevailed on Friday, but the day proved brilliantly fine, and a most successful meeting was staged by the combined sports organisations. This Tuesday was also disappointing as regards weather, heavy rain having fallen on the Monday, and a particularly heavy shower fell just at 5 p.m.. Despite this, the track was prepared and the officials were present, prepared to carry on, but only a small muster of athletes necessitated a postponement The meeting will, as usual, be held this Thursday evening, if conditions permit. The meeting adjourned from Victoria Park on Saturday, November 19th. will definitely be held on Saturday next, Decemoer 3rd, when all the events set down for the earlier date, with one exception, will be held.' The exception is the 100 yards handicap, which had been decided before the postponment, occured. ( ’ Harriers in the' Money:

Thursday’s mile race was well contested, the longer-handicap men giving the back-markers little chance of getting up; the heavy going proved no obstacle to the cross-country runners,. Billy Wilson and Bruce Burrell, who were first and second respectively, Wilson off 110 yards having 20 yards of margin from his clubmate, who started on 60 yards. Wilson is a solidly built and most determined performer, who will do well if he adapts his style more to the requirements of the track. Incidentally, he is no mean performer in the high jump, clearing 4f 10 J at the big meeting on Saturday, to collect first place with his seven inches handicap. Bruce Burrell is the holder, of the Harrier Championship, __which is awarded to the runner "who gained best performance in a stiff series of races, namely, 1 mile track race, three miles road, five miles road and hill, and 61 across country. His staying powers are, therefore, beyond doubt, and his increasing speed is attested by his decreasing track handicaps. More will be heard of this .promising colt if he continues to train for pace.

Old Times Recalled: How long is it since the name of O’Callaghan was among the winners of sprint races? Not so long, at that, yet here we have it again; not. the famou s Tom, of that ilk, certainly, but a young colt who looks a likely sort, and who was good enough to clean up the schoolboys’ 440 on Thursday. Shrewd judges life to follow a horse from a good stable, and may be on a good thing here. Two mates, the Meates U,roth!srs, bccupidd the minor placings.

Improving Standard in Ladies’

High Jump: Miss Joan Henderson gave a good display to win this event frpm another reliable performer in Miss. Joan Furness, the winner clearing 3ft Ulins, and the second competitor 3ft - lOins. Miss J. Robertson jumped nicely to land third place.

Triple' Leap Winner a Find: By recording 38ft 11-ins in the hop step and jump, J. Perrin, a new member enjoying his first outing with the Club, showed good form in somewhat difficult conditions, and will certainly improve considerably on his figures with practice and the provision of proper take-off facilities. This young athlete is well-built and nippy, full of spring and retains his balance well, sa ha s a ll th e requirements for a really good jumper... One is inclined to hazard the opinion that, if he trains on consistently, he will produce form and figures that will put him among the top-notchers of Christchurch, few of whom could be expected to record 39 feet in the, conditions prevalent on the day. A. D. McElwain was another new member, who stretched fhe*.tape 37 feet, and his also was a very fine effort. Third place went to the Club Captain, Billy Mann, who is always likely to be a place getter in any of the sprint s or jumps, while with the discus he is also to be reckoned with.

Relay Races Sparkle: That there is no more deservedly popular form of racing than relay racing was exemplified on Thursday, when both the ladies and mens’ races were keenly contested, the lead changing hands several times during the course of each race, and the race .being won practically in the last stride in each instance. Excellent entries are being received for the senioir ladies’ races, and House teams from several of the leading businss -houses in the Town are getting into trim.

Ladies’ Sprint Race a Desperate Finish: Inches aagin separated the placed runners in the seventy-five, yards race, in which Miss J. Furness, a rapidly, improving sprinter, got home from Misses N. McGirr (1 yard) and N. White (scr.), whom the judges were unable to separate. Miss Furness’s mark was six yards, and she was the only runner who could keep the sec-ond-place winners out of the major place; both these nioov ladies hay# suffered reductions in handicaps, but have come up smiling,, again each time. Breaking Spoils Senior Sprint: t

Persistent breaking by some members spoiled the senior sprint, and the scratch man, who is as steady as a rock, and too good a sportsman to try for aii unfair advantage by beating the gun, was left standing, and had no opportunity of racing. This 4 however, is no reflection on the winner, Trevor Harker, who off six yards won by a yard from Brian Paterson (7yds); with L. Dittman (6yds) 4 yard back third.

Young Steel Gets the Worsted: Tl?is youngster, like O’Callaghan, evidently decided that he must keep the flag* flying, and the name of- his famous father to the fore,, anti he accounted for. the 100 yards schoolboys’ race handily.

Physical Fitness Centre’s Sports:, . , Excellent wins were recorded in th e men’s senior and junior sprints events by Laurie .Wilson, who won the senior, double, and R. Bunt, who did likewise wiith the junior double. Wilson had been presented with very considerable reductions in handicap owing to his previous wins, and it is,<_a. ! tribute to his rapidly improving form, that he should have got through his fields in such workmanlike fashion on this occasion. As a result, he finds himself in the post of honour, which

he has richly earned. Bunt performed creditably, winning both his races With such ease' as to make it cle'ai* that his previous race s were merely mild exercise, for’ him. Future outings will prove a different proposition for him from his new mark. Second place in the senior fifty was gained by a newcomer in N. Kiely, who showed much speed in his heat to have a commanding lead 40 yards out, and he repeated this in the final, a tactical error undoubtedly costing him first place. While in the lead, and easily so, he looked first to his right, then to hjs left, to make sure he was 'in front; the first look he got away with, but the second proved his undoing, Wilson coming through right on the tape to secure the verdict, while ‘ Kiely’s head was turned. Incidentally, the penalty for looking round is disqualification and one hopes it will not prove Accessary to inflict it. ’ •

Steel Cup to M. J. Lynch: ‘ The well-known Coast full-back had his first outing, and secured an excellent second place in the hundred off four yards, with his co-marker, Arthur Stewart, of Barry town, whom the judges could not separate. Both sprinted nicely, and with steady training will be found •on shorter marks ere long. Mick O’Connell was also among those present, and has lost none of his dash, turning in an easy sisec in his heat of the shorter sprint to qualify for a place in the final. Lynch annexed the discus throw, and was second in the high jump, from scratch, with a jumn, excellent in the conditions, of sft 4Sins. Using the scissors method, Jack jumps cleanly, and is very springy, but will improve, possibly to six feet, when he has mastered the western roll.

Breaking Again Prevalent: , A further epidemic of breaking spoiled the sprint races, and the Club and the runners themselves are likely to suffer if this form of athletic bad manners continues. The scratch man (Billy Mann) again suffered on this occasion, and it is up to officials to see that no recurrence is permitted. Offenders will find themselves standing on the bank if they persist.

Ladies’ Sprints: Miss Doreen Tunnell, tipped in these notes recently as a coming runner, accounted handily for the short sprint, with Miss N. McGirr second and Miss Joan Henderson third. Miss Henderson bagged the 100 yards’ dash, with the consistent Nancy ’ McGirr in second place, and Miss Tunnell third.

Standard of Performance Improving:

A steady improvement in the number and quality of competitors is being noted, and when the season reaches its height, about the end of February, the Club will be able to field a particularly strong team. There seem likely to upwards of eight classy sprinters, with no more, perhaps, /than a couple of yards among them; a couple of 'slashing quarter-milers, in Harker and Paterson, a brace of firstrate half-milers in McNaughton and McDonnell, and equally excellent performers oyer the longer journeys in Johnson (Marsden) and Savage (Kotuku). Two or three relay teams, well up to the average club standard, could be fielded from these performers, and the Committee might well consider selecting a special team for training over the -medely distance, there being much to learn, and many valuable yards to be picked up, by team work and mutual understanding. Welcome, Stranger! The, Cobden Club, initiated by that live wire, Mr Fred. Baillie, has held its initial meeting, and met an encouraging , response. The Grey Club was represented by the energetic President' (Mr Tommy Ryan) and Hon. Secretary (MrE. B. E. Taylpr) wiho, conveyed |the good wishes of the Town Club, and offers of co-op-eration and mutual' assistance for the benefit of the sport as a whole. The first training turn-out, over the weekend, proved very successful, and no fewer than sixteen entries were lodged with the Grey Club for th e meeting to be held on Thursday. The following handicaps have been allotted to Cobden Club members for their first outing: — 135yds senior, men: J. Cowan, F. Lindbom 4yds, A. E. Spivey syds, A. Vaughan, J. Barrett 6yds. 135vds junior: G. Brailsford 6yds. 1,000yds; D. Scott 35yds, E. Burrei 35yds. ••

Long jump: D. Scott 72 inches. Senior Ladies’ 110yds hop, 3rd heat: A,. Page, F. Dick, A. Butler, F. Finley, air six yards. Junior Ladies’ 100yds, 3rd heat: J. Page, N., Bennett, M. Brailsford, M. Treweek 4yds.