AMATEUR ATHLETICS

Hawke's Bay Tribune, Volume XXV, Issue 78, 15 March 1935, Page 15

AMATEUR ATHLETICS

THE NATIONAL MEETING Many Excellent Performances GOOD SHOWING BY H.8.-P.B. (By “Spike.”) Perfect conditions were expert enced at Cook’s Gardens. Wan ganui, last Friday and Saturday, where athletes from all parts of the Dominion gathered to contest supremacy in the various recognised events and carrying the distinction of New Zealand champion, the highest award of the NZ.A.A.A. Out of the burly burly of competition during the two days fifteen new champions have arrived and nine were de throned, while seven successfully de fended their titles. In six instances title holders were not present to defeno lheir titles. As anticipated, Auckland Province duly appropriated the chainpionship shield, gaining six championships in addition to some second piac jugs. Wellington came next with five titles, and then Hawke's Bay-Poverty Buy with a similar number of points. Last year’s champions. Canterbury, were fourth with three titles, and then followed West Coast. North Island two and Otago one. The success of Hawke’s Bay-Poverty Bay was gratifying indeed and but for the mishap to Sharpley in February, thus preventing him from indulging in tli e training so necessary to a sprinter, the local centre would have appropri sited the championship shield, for aftci noting the sprint hurdlers present at Wanganui “Spike” is positive tha. none were in the Hastings hurdler’e class, fit and well. Grounds Not Suitable Cook’s gardens is not an ideal ground for a chamionship gathering due to lack of size, the running track being iess than the usual 440 yards in circumference and providing lanes for only five in nners. The turns were of necessity lather sharp aud a definite handicap to a long strider. A network of overI cad lighting wires was an ever-present •'anger to the hammer-throwers, one of whom was uncannily- accurate in making contact with one or another of ili«'se wires in five consecutive throws. Indeed, his first throw registered a direct hit on one of the light shades to the evident amusement of the public. ’ Happily the contest was completed without injury to anybody, but both Lammers were broken and the winner, .'•pillam thus prevented from making an .- ttack on the Dominion record, oi which he was confident of breaking. Th« starter, armed with a sawn-ofl breach loading shot gun, the explosions of which reverberated about the hillside lor seconds afterwards, besides galvan • Ung nervous runners with unwonted energy, was not up to championship standard. Bainbridge, the Aucklander, was the fittest athlete at the gathering, a tribute to his trainer, the old ‘‘pro.” runr T. Mclntyre, not unknown in iiuwke’s Bay in the days of “Lockie ’ • Lachlan. Bainbridge was also a < Lampion in slightly anticipating the ■tarter’s gun, being successful in this no lese than five times. He is a brilI ant sprinter, but one wonders hnw he would fare with the long “set” of • Dorris” Leslie for instance. Where Quinn Tailed. Graham Quinn, the Gisborne sprinter, wns as impressive as McFarlane ana Bainbridge on the first day, but he is not strongly constitutioned and on the -econd day he was just off the peaK. It was due to this weakness that he •vas taken out of the 440 heat, which, by the way, he could have won without trouble but he could not have headed Bainbridge off in the final. It is rare that record times are put up in national championship half miles and miles due, of course, to the size of the fields. Edgar Forne did as was expected in the mile, winning in 4.25, time by the way that has only been bettered twice in a national championship. There were nine starters an l never once in the race did Forne get on i he pole line, and he must have covered : n extra 50 yards on the nine bends that he had to navigate. Allen, of Otago, and third in the last New Zealrind championship, was out in front most of the way, and it was only in the final sprint that Forne ran him down. The pole vaulting was the best yet seen at a national meeting, with Barra dough the stylist and winner from au • •(her Canterbury man in N. Mulvey, vho has vaulted on the Hastings itind. Mulvey, by the way, has filled ■end place in the event in three sue- • ive years. The two Bay entrants, R. • Ilinan and R. Johnson, cleared 10ft. ’ us. and 10ft. respectively, with Caiman’s effort earning a standard certi £ ate. On the first day Frank Sharpley drew easy heats in both hurdle events and duly won, but not impressively. Treatment from a masseur just prior the start of the final of the 12(1.hurdles left him in better shape, and he ran -. great race. “Spike” was in line at the finish and was quite convinced that the Bay man had just won, but the judgegave the (.ward to Bowie. Then in the 100 yards final Bainbridge appeared to just win, but again the award went to the man in the inside lane, McFarlane being declared the winner. The Caterbury man in each of the two sprints had to concede at least a yard due to Bainbridge's ant cipatory sense, ami in the furlong it represented the differ • nee between winning and losing. Bay Women Do Well. On the evening of the first day the Hawke’s Bay-Poverty Bay women s relay team won the handicap relay from Wellington, all teams actually starting off scratch. The Bay team won by lour feet after drawing the outside. In the championship relay tie second da\ H.B. I’.B. again drew the outer and Wellington the innei ind this time B:i\ won bv 1' mH-. AH four girls ran exceptionally well, with Miss (iladys Symes in brilliant form, and in each race she established a lead that was gradually reduced by Wellington in th. subsequent exchanges. The Bl) vards women's championship was a terrific struggle with Miss Gj<i-h-1! a winner bv three inclie* Her. ( »

■ again there were those who declared in favour of the Hastings girl, while some said a dead heat. The 880 yards championship saw the reinstatement of Taihape’s Don Evans and the total eclipse of Broadway, thrice national champion. Evans was nearly down going out of the straight at tlie end of the first lap. but he recovered quickly, and with a furlong to go ran past Broadway on the inside. Forne was outside the latter, and all round the top bend had to keep there, due to the too free use of the Cantetr bury man’s elbows. Once into tie straight Forne left Broadway behind, but could not overtake Evans, who owed his victory to his tactical move at the three furlong post. In the men’s medley relay champion ship Quinn gave the Bays a 15 yard ad vantage at the end of the quarter, and Bickerstaff running well against the redoubtable McFarlane had lost only eight yards of the lead when he handed ovd to Cullinan, who, however, was quickly overwhelmed. Forne started off on the final 880 at th e rear of the field with Canterbury 30 yards in front. He gradually closed tlie gap, and in the final stretch swept up to gain a spectacular victory for the Bay amidst an outburst of enthusiasm from the public. Forne ran 890 yards of this relay in the. great time of 1.57. Two Records Claimed. Miss Rona Tong won the hurdle handicap easily from her solitary opponent

in 12 2-5 secs., time that is being claim ed as a record. A record is also being claimed for the 51 1-5 secs recorded by Hawke’s Bay-Poverty Bay in the women’s relay championship over 440 yards- , „ . Finlayson, of Auckland, a young fellow of splendid physique, recorded a brilliant win in the quarter hurdles in record time. He was closely pressed by A. T. Anderson, of Canterbury, the previous record holder, who, by the waj, was second last year also. Dick Steere just failed to head off Munro with the shot, the difference be ing seven inches. Steere s last putt was easily his best, but it was ruled a foul. Petty-Officer Atton essayed to win the three-mile flat all the way, but he was no match at the finish with his co-Aucklauder Cooper, whose effortless style was the admiration of all. Hackett, of Auckland, troubled by a weak ankle, got no higher than 511. lOin. in the high jump and Crowe won at sft. Ilin. There were only three starters in this event. The walks were rendered farcical by the antics of Coleman, who trotted round the ground to the accompaniment of much bandinage from the onlookers. In the three miles he was cautioned three times and finally ordered off the track, but he carried on. Driscoll’s style evoked the admiration of all, but knowing that Coleman was diqualifled he did not attempt fast times. Handicap cycle races were welcome interludes. Ou the steeply banked track the riders provided a fascinating spectacle with the Wanganui idol, Wade, very prominent. He shouiil prove a tough one at the N.Z. Championships at Petone on ATarch 2o Next year the track and field championships will be hold in Dunedin, au't the prospects of the Bays at me moment look bright indeed. Possibly nobodv regrets tbt loss oi Hawke's B'iv and Poverty Bay as a sub-ceutro more than Wellington, «l>" would have won th< championship shield last year and th s it the Bay* hud not be’-n made .-• centre on then own. Auckland, present holders of the eliampii.'uship shield last had that pleasure away back in 1902, so their good fortune in this instance has not come out of its turn.