ATHLETICS.

Hawera Star, Volume XLV, 16 May 1925, Page 9

ATHLETICS.

PORRITT. “A FEATHER IN NEW ZEALAND’S CAP.” The success of Porritt, the Otago athlete, is a great feather in New Zealand’s cap, for this year’s Light .Blues have been declared by Alec Nelson, their coach, as the team of finest allround merit that he has had through his hands for some years. The London Observer’s notice says: ‘‘Having regard to the wintry conditions and the cross wind, the performances were excellent. Porritt, the gentleman from Otago,’ who has had some trial spins at Queen’s, lived up to his private reputation as a sprinter, for his time over the hundred yards was a. record for this series of inter-University struggles. Macmillan and Abrahams were each twice credited with eeven time, but Porritt had the tremendous satisfaction of beating eve ns by onetenth of a second, which, of course, equals one yard. Getting beautifully out of the holes, he was leading by two yards when sixty yards had been covered, and all that Rinkel could gain upon the New Zealander from that stage was half a yard. Porritt afterwards competed in the 120'.yards and 220 yards hurdles. Both these races were" won by Lord Burghley, who, if slower between the jumps, was a more natural fencer, for he virtually walked them in the American style, while Porritt rose in the old conventional manner with a. tucked-up leg. There is no doubt whatever that Lord Burghley is very accomplished at this exercise, for his time over the shorter distance was within a ‘‘fifth” of K. Powell, and his rare finishing power in the 22j yards, when Porritt looked like succeeding, produced 24 4~ssecs, which is a second better than even Huhn could do two years ago.”