ATHLETICS

Hawera Star, Volume XLVII, 24 March 1928, Page 12

ATHLETICS

HUNDRED MILES RUN.

BATH TO LONDON.

SOUTH AFRICAN’S FEAT. There has been no athlete more remarkable in our time that Arthur Neuton, who came from South Africa to make an attack on his own record for one hundred miles. At the age of fortyfour he looks in ordinary dress like a modest retiring city man, who spends liis spare time pottering about a suburban garden (states the “Auckland Star’s”. London correspondent). I was onoe present when he gave a wireless talk, and his thin voice quivered, and he shook at the knees through fright. That night, or, indeed, any other, you would not have chosen him to run a mile. But w© know, of course, that as a farmer he has spent many years in South Africa, and that he is as hard as nails. From the point pf view of style, too you would not believe him a record breaker. He lias a slight malformation of one of his heels, and experts declare it is surprising that he is able to run at all. His action is strange. He swings liis arms little and his legs appears to be dragged rather than lifted. But there is beautiful rhythm about his movement. The conditions, When he set off from just outside Bath for Hyde Park Corner, London j in the dead of night, were most unpromising. There was a strong wind meeting him on the side of his face, it was raining, and it was known that some of the country through which he would have to pass was flooded.. Attempts were made to persuade him to postpone his effort hut he declined, saving that he did not mind the wind, or the rain, or the floods.

PACERS' DECLINED. The preparations for the run were o. a most ptu'iuuctory character. con. men were proviueu to run with Newto.. in relays, out ne sum lie would rathe, uq wiuiout tile in. m tuose circumstances, thougn tney star reel they consulted ins whines, and, instead of giving a friendly ioau, tiiey lorgcd aiieno, and ne never saw tnree qi tnein. lit only tiling taken was fils own specially - prepared drum, but at tne enq or tours t hour he had stomach trouole, am. it lasted to the end qt tne run.

At nve o’clock in tne morning he asked for some not tea, and, witn tnu countryside still asleep, it could be obtained only with dihiculty by friends hurrying ronvard in a motor car. At this time it did not seem as though lie wouid he able to finish the course, but a little later he stopped for ten minutes to take refreshment, and, on resuming, he went qn strongly.

At Maidenhead the street was a foot deep with water, but he ran along a narrow plank. Then, on approaching London ne had to contend with crowds, aud at Hammersmith the police had to be summoned to keep a way clear foi him. Indeed, for nearly the whole oi the last live miles he had. to struggle with the London traffic. Thousands awaited him at Hyde Park. A hundred yards or sq from the finish an attempt was made to carry him, but he Hung the people aside, and struggled on ,and then, when the task was over, he bolted between two motoi buses, and escaped the cheering crowd into St. George's Hospital on the othe., side of the road. His time for the hundred miles was 14 hours, 22 minutes, 10 seconds, as compared with liis previous best in South Africa of 14 hours 43 minutes.

CHAMPIONS_COMPETE. LEADBBTTEE, IN FORM.

Among the competitors at the annual athletic championships of the Canterbury Amateur Country Clubs at Timaru was M. Leadbetter, the New Zealand sprint champion. Leadbetter tool, part in the handicaps, and won the 12(yards and 220 yards events in 11.2-sse< and 22.4-ssec respectively. The ox-New Zealand walking champion, G. S. Cabot, who lias not competed for some time, made,- a reappearance on the track in a half-mile walk handicap -at a meeting held in Dunedin recently. He was conceding starts up to 100 yards, bub lie made very fast pace over the first lap, and was only 2 yards behind R, H. Cabot (25 yards) with 400 yards bn go. He spurted spiritedly up the straight, and won by 20 yards in the good time of 3min 14sec. G. S. Cabot is not yet in ton form, says a Dunedin writer, but by the time the New Zealand University championships are decided he should be capable of registering very good time for the mile.

UNSPORTSMANLIKE.

DEMONSTR ATION AT MELBOURNE

Australians have earned the reputation of being good sportsmen—especially when it comes to recognising the worth of visiting athletes from overseas.

But the demonstration whicli was levelled at Leon Vanderstuvft, the Belgian, at the Melbourne Motordrome, when the visitor was forced temporarily to retire in his recent match against Onperman, through the Belgian’s pacer (Rody Lehmann) meeting with trouble, was anything but edifying. Tt was only from a. small section of irresponsibles. and it is to be 'hoped that Vandenstuvft and Lehmann will aot form a wrong opinion of Australian sportsmen. A similar demonstration occurred a few weeks ago against Marronier, who did not take the matter so much to heart as did the Belgian. The latter appeared to be greatly upset by the attitude of a section of the crowd, near the finishing line, which indulged in a chorus of hooting. This kind of thing besmirches the fair name of Australia.

Opnerman expressed disapproval of the demonstration, and .Jack Campbell, speaking over the “air’’ to the crowd, asked them to act as sportsmen apd to treat the visitors accordingly. >

RECORD BROAD JUMP. APPROACHING THIRTY FEET. De Hart Hubbard, the world’s record breaking negro broad jumper, recently covered the extraordinary distance of 26ft 2jin in one leap. The referee reported that hi® take off was one inch higher than the level of the sand in the jumping pit. It is the first time we have heard such a reason advanced for refusing a broad jump tecord. If a practice of measuring the level to an inch was made few records would be passed. The man on the rake reduces the level of the pit more often than he raises it. (It was reported last week that S. J. M. Atkinson, the South African champion, had created a new world’s record by leaping 26ft 9in.)