ATHLETICS

Hawera Star, Volume XLV, 3 October 1925, Page 12

ATHLETICS

FRANCE AND ENGLAND. France gained a victory over England in their annual atheletie meet at- Preston Park, Brighton, on July 25. The, victory caused some surprise, and the downfall of England is put down to the failure of the second strings, to fight tlieir best for the places. It was in this regard that the Frenchman took the honours, for Englandl won eight firsts of the_ thirteen events decided. With the points scor_ ing 5; 3 and 1 for the first three places the result panned out 59 points to 53 in France’s favour. The defeat, however, is ascribed to the fact that Britain’s first-class, men were near to staleness after a series of heavy programmes terminating with the championships a week previously. WOMEN’S ATHLETIC MEETING.

An athletic meeting for women took place at Stamford Bridge, London, on August 1, which has still further revealed the progress being made (writes a correspondent). Following the sports a, big banquet was held in the evening, when men and. women closely concerned with the government of athletics in England, Canada and Czechoslovakia had. something interesting to say about me athletics for women. Mr. H. Barclay, honorary secretary of the English A.A.A., remarked that lie had .been greatly surprised by what he had seen that afternoon, and that it- was clear there was a big future for women’s athletics. It was early vet to determine what benefits, or otherwise, might be expected, but it seeemed reasonable to think that if suitable exercises helped build up a young man they should b© equally useful in the case of young women. What the aim must- be was to discover just what were suitable forms of competitions, and all this would no doubt be discovered in due course. England won rather easily on points, scoring 56 to 26 by the'Czechoslovakia team and 23 by Canada. The Canadian girls showed iots of promise, though none managed to win outright. The foreign ladies secured the discus and javelin throws, whilst all the other events were won by the English girls. Miss R. Thompson won the 100yds. in 114-ssec.. and Miss V. Palmer the 250 metres in the new world’s record time of 33 4-ssec. Miss K. Flannigan, of Canada, was a good second. Still another world’s, best was seen in the half-mile, which Miss E. Trickey won in 2m in 24see. Good performances were also accomplished by O. Green in the high jump (4ft. lOin.) and M. Hull in the long jump (16ft. llin.). One of the most interesting features was the relay race, when the English girls won from Canada, the foreign team being third.