ATHLETICS.

Hawera Star, Volume XLVIII, 19 July 1924, Page 9

ATHLETICS.

At- Des Moines, Charles Paddock was ci edited with runnin</ 12ovds in 1 Aee and a few days later he' eouallod the woj-ld s record for lODvds,' doing 9 o-or-cc. Haddock hails from the West, aPU. nidging from the following remarks D a New lork writer, there is considerable iea lousy between the East and the nest: Following its usual custom the East is disposed to cast on the performances of Charlc-v Pad-

dock, made at Drake relay carnival during the late week-end. <jritie s here were almost unanimous in declaring that Paddock should not be credited with having done nine and three fifths seconds for lOOyards because he beat the gun. Very good. If Paddock beat the gun, it is obvious the he did not do “nine-three” at all. The fact that he ran 125 yards in the world’s record time of twelve seconds was discounted, also, on the ground that it was and is a “freak distance.” That is absurd. Twelve seconds happens to be excellent time for 125 yards, and the fact that Paddock ran five yards further in the same time constitutes a remarkable performance. The criticism is merely the backwash of sectional jealousy with Paddock as the focal point. It is a condition that will not be dissipated until the athlete goes to the post with the best in the East and elsewhere at the Olympic try-outs on June 14. .

V. R. Harbison, the long-legged Sydney University athlete who recently equalled the New South Wales record high-jump with 6ft., ha s realised the dream of his life (says “Smith’s Week, ly”). In the past five years he has tried consistently for the honour, and jumped sft lOin at the last- Australasian meeting at Hobart. The effort equalled A. H. Scott’s figures, but is 18—16 in under L. H. Kelly’s Australian record. The greatest tussel for the New South Wales high jump title, was between A. H. Scott and Silas Bevan eleven years ago. Bevan came down from Gundaroo, near Goulhurn, and pinned faith to an old felt hat with which he decked himself. At sft. Scott failed and Bevan got the honours! During the war Private Bevan and Lieutenant-Colonel Scott were in the same battalion. Bevan returned, hut Scott, after getting the D S.O was killed in action.

Writing of the Olympic sprint events f, * n a metropolitan paper says: “To New Zealanders the greatest achievement in the 100 metres race at the Olympic Games will he the great running of A. E. Porritt, the New "Zealand Rhodes Scholar. To secure a place in the final of the world’s greatest amateur sprint race is something one, may well be proud about. This year the company was especially brilliant, as with the exception of the New Zealander, the other five competitors in open competition in their own countries had shown ability to do even time (or better) for the hundred. Two of them, Abrahams and Paddock (the latter on no less than four occasions) had covered the distance in 9 3-ssec. Then Scholz was joint holder of the world’s 100 metres record (10 3-ssec.), and, at the New York Olympic try-outs, at New Vork, on June 8, had won the 100 metres in 10 6-10 sec., and both Murchison and Bowman were regarded as being good for lOsec. for the hundred, and under favourable conditions equal to 9 4-osec. This will give an idea of the classy company in . which the young New Zealander found himself when he “set” for the final. It must have been a trying moment, but he came through with flying colours and has the honour of being the first’ New Zealander to secure a place in an Olympic championship. The winners of thi s event have been as follows: 1896, Athens, Burk (America'* 12sec.; 1900, Paris, Jarvis (America) 10 4-osec.; 1904, St. Louis, Hahn (America) llsec.; 1906* Athens, Hahn (America) 11 l-ssec. • 1908, London, Walker (South Africa) 10 4-osec. • 1912, Stockholm, R C Craig (America) 10 4-ssec.; 1920 Antwerp, C. W. Paddock (America), 10 4-ssec. As Porritt was running equal to 10 4-ssec. in an ordinary year he would have had good prospects of winning. But this was an extraordinary year. Never before had such a team of speedmen gathered together for the final.’’