ATHLETICS.

Hawera Star, Volume XLVI, 2 April 1927, Page 11

ATHLETICS.

AMATUEII AND PROFESSIONAL. NOTES AN COMMENTS. Gibbbons lias been credited with. 1 min 56sec for the half mile, front -0 yards, which time is as good as New Zealand championship, time. After this performance Gobbons may be consideied equal to the best middle distance men in New Zealand to-day, and. should be among New Zeadlana s representatives at the Australian championships next year. Sabin Carr, of Yale, inter-collegiate pole vault champion, shattered the world’s indoor pole vault record by more than half a foot- when he cleared the bar at J3ft 7 1-8 inches in the sixtv-eighth annual indoor Boston A.A. games at Boston. Carr’s efforts came within seven-eighths of an inch of the leap of 13 feet ginclies which Charley Hoff made in New York last winter, but the Norwegian’s record was not accepted because of subsequent ehgibilitv differences with the A.A.IT. The accepted indoor record is 13 feet made by Nelson B. Sherrill, in. 1920. This mark was bettered last Wednesday by Raul .Harrington, at Urn Millmse A.A. meet. when, he cleared thirteen tcet five-eightb inch.

Some unfortunate occurnnces marked the final evening of the Australian amateur ohamionsnips, at the Exhibition Oval at Melbourne. In the first lie at of the half-mile cycling championship C. Minehan, in a splendid finish drew level with Standin, and the event was declared a dead-lieat. Standin was disqualified for interference, and afterwards he is alleged to have struck a rider. He was disquolified for three months. Viotrin gained their first succe.ssß in the ton miles championship. Early, Beard and Rough led the .Victorian hatch at the head of the field. Soon Lamb took charge, and next Bruce Jack had control until the nil e miles were covered. The Victrians led hv Board, now moved up. At the be l !, the Queenslanders —Munro and W nltaoo —were in front. In the straight Lamb shot away, the others going to pieces. The three places were filled lry Victorians, W’hilehoat and Wells being second and third to Lamb. Time 24 min. fit 1-ssec*.

The finals of the N.S.AV. Stale championships. produced the following results- Throwing the 10ih hammer: R. W. R. Thompson, 11.8 ft. Sin. 220 yards: A. Walker 22 2-fjsec. Running bop. .skip, and juinn: A. TV. Winter, 4, ft. 4in.. 880 yards: R. D. Norman. 1 min. f>o 4-7,sec. Mile walk: G. R. Parker. 6min. 46 l-ssee. Throwing the discus: W. F. Pavne. 113 ft 11 Aims Pole vault: A. Ford. 10ft. 3ins.. Three miles run : C. O. James, lomins. 44secs.

A fortnight ago, at the bydney Sports Ground, “Bob” Spears, exchampion cyclist- of the world, quickly undeceived those wlio thought- his erudition was not- up to requirements, for , in a thrilling match race, he defeated Cecil Walker, all-round champion of America, and later in the evening beat the best riders in Australia m a irve mile: scratch race. Thus, says the Referee” (Sydney), both his sprinting ability and his stamina were put to the test, and he came through wit-li colours flying.

Riding unpaced at the Melbourne Motordrome: track a fortnight ago, Bert With a 11, an 18-vear-old cyclist from Essen don. broke the worlds, the Australian, and the Victorian junior records. for a 100 miles. He covered the distance in 4 hours 30 minutes 49 l-o seconds, breaking Cyril Dun gey s world’s record of 4hrs. 47mms. 4 l-o secs , mado last Mel bourne Cup day, bv 7mins. 15secs. Withall went, through .his effort without- a mishap, his refreshment- consisted of milk, beef tea. and oranges. He did the first five miles in ISmins. 16secs., 10 miles- m 25mins. 15secs., 50 miles. 2hrs. 13mins'. 33secs., lOOmiles,'4brs. 39min5..49 l-o secs.

The “Evening Post” .saysAn opportunity of seeing Stanley Lay, champion iavelin thrower of Australia and New Zealand, in action will be afforded on- 9th Anri-1 at the Wellington Centre’s electric light sports meeting at the Basin Reserve. It will be Lay’s first appearance in Wellington, and bis strongest opponent at the meeting won be G. J. Scents', the ’varsity athlete, wli-o has done well with the- javelin this season. No athlete, during the past few years has made a. greater impression than Lay, who is a strong candidate for Olympic honours. Not- long ago l he threw’ 205 ft 11-Jin, which is a truly* remark-able performance, and. one that must rank among the best four in the world. The world's record is 218 ft 6 7-Bin. and was created hv G. Linstronr (Sweden) in 1924. Competing at the last Australian and New Zealand championship meeting in Brisbane, Lay threw the implement 198 ft 71in. set a new Australian- record. - Since he fir.st took up the event Lav has made great- progress, and, with the possibility of" even greater improvement, it seems certain that he will make a name for himself in world athletics; in fact, as one enthusiast said recently’, it would not be- surprising to -sec him become the first New Zealander to make a world’s record in field events.