A WORLD'S CHAMPION.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XLIX, Issue 14933, 5 March 1912, Page 9

A WORLD'S CHAMPION.

ARRIVAL OF J. DONALDSON.

SPRINTERS IN OTHER COUNTRIES.

Amongst the passengers from Sydney by the Wimmera, which berthed yesterday morning, was Jack Donaldson, the world's sprint champion, who will race A. B. Postle, the ex-champion, over three distances— 150 yds, and 200yds—at the Auckland* St. Patrick's Day sports.' "Mick" Terry, Donaldson's trainer, who is very well known in New Zealand, did not come acress with the champion, as he had to go to Gippsland, Victoria, on business. "I miss Terry greatly," remarked Donaldson. "He is a really good companion, and a fine trainer. In fact, I don't think you could find a better trainer anywhere." However, Donaldson has Mr. L. F. Eraser, an Aucklander, who accom- j pan him from Sydney, as his manager. They were met by Mr. A. J. Woodley, secretary of the St. Patrick's Day Sports Committee, and a member of the executive of the Auckland centre of the New Zealand Athletic Union. Messrs. Donaldson and Eraser are staving at the Albert Hotel. " j Donaldson is 26 years old, and a native j of Victoria. He is of light, clean build, J sft Bin in height, sinewy, and very active, j Like Postle, he is quiet and modest in j demeanour, and likely to become very j popular in Auckland. He, too, has | travelled much, and he talks interestingly i of the countries he has visited. Chatting yesterday with a Herald representative, he remarked that he had had a bad trip from Sydney, and was considerably shaken up, and unable to eat much. However, he has nearly a fortnight before him to get fit in, and as he was in good condition when he left Sydney he anticipates shaking off the effects of the voyage very quickly. Until Thursday he will indulge only in light work, and then settle down to heavier training. Prospects for the Match. The heavy rain of yesterday prevented the champion from visiting the Domain, and inspecting the track on which he will do his training and ra-ce Postle. However, when told that Postle had highly commended the track, he remarked: "If Arthur Postle says the track is a good one, lam quite satisfied. Postle is a man of much greater experience of tracks than I have had, he is a fine judge of a, ground, and I am quite willing to accept his opinion." Asked what he thought of his prospects for the match, Donaldson replied that, if quite fit, he feels assured of winning at least two of the three races, for the longer distances were in his favour. t "Postle is a wonderful sprinter up to 75yds," he said. "We get off the mark together, and are together for the first 10yds or 15yds. But then he seems to draw right away from one. I don't know how he does it, and I have often marvelled at the speed he gets up then. It seems heartbreaking at -times to see him drawing away so much, but after going about 60yds i seem to get going better, and 1 finish strongly. Up to 75yds, I think Postle can still beat me, but at 100 yds I consider, that, fit and "well,-I can just beat him, while the longer distances are more in nvy favour. Postle is a really fine fellow, and we are very good friends, but on the track we are keen rivals, and each of us goes out to do his best to win. Recently I gave Postle a yard in 120yds<, and won. He also beat me recently, but I had had a severe gruelling in a 220 yds handicap, in which 1 was successful although I bad* to give away starts up to 28yds." I think Postlo's great speed in the early part of a sprint is due to the great strength of his legs and back. He would make a fine standing high jumper if he paid more attention to that branch of athletics."

Running in Australia. Chatting of the condition of professional athletics in other countries he has raced in, Donaldson said that the sport had a very strong hold in Victoria. There it was excellently managed by a league, which kept a very strong control and prevented abuses from creeping in. With the fees it received from affiliated clubs, j registration fees of athletics, and so forth, tho Victorian League has an income of about £1000 a year. Several £100 handicaps are held annually in the State, besides many £50 handicaps. "So well has the sport been fostered in Victoria," added the champion, "that there are several even-time runners there. The favourite distance is 130 yds, and in speaking of even-times, ' I refer especially to this distance. But there are many sprinters in the State who can do only a yard outside evens for 100 yds." New South Wales is not in such a good position, but there, ..too, •professional athletics are well controlled by a league. South Africa was also a great place for running until the prohibition of betting at the tracks came into force," continued Donaldson. " There they had a fine lot of young runners coming on, and the tracks were very good. It was at Johannesburg in February, 1910, that I won the 100 yds championship of the world from Arthur Postle." Unsatisfactory Conditions in England. Professional athletics in England are on a footing very different to that which pertains in Australia. "Proper control is badly needed in the Old Country," said Donaldson. " The runners there have too much to do with the management of the sport, and that is a bad thing, for you want men in control who are no longer actively engaged in the sport. Unfortunately, there are some men in the game in England who, through there being no proper controlling body to punish them, are able to victimise the promoters of matches and sports, and force them to accede to their demands in the matter of starts. Then, too, many runners get ridiculously long starts in sprint events, through there being no league or similar body to regulate the sport. Of course, I am not speaking .of all English professional runners when I refer to 'jobbery.' But such things as I have referred to are not wanted in- the sport, which should be kept clean and properly regulated. I have also seen some queer things in amateur running in England." Donaldson then gave instances in which he had seen men deliberately fouled and jostled in amateur races at Home, and other instances of prominent "amateurs" receiving " appearance-money'' of from £10 to £25 piece. - Donaldson stated that ho will leave Auckland on his return to Sydney on the 18t.li instant, the second day after his races with Postle. Later, he would -revisit England, and ; probably race Nat Cartnell.

Last night. Donaldson and Postle were the guests of the Auckland centre of the New Zealand Athletic Union at the Marlow Dramatic Company's performance of "Sweet County Kerry." •-'- : . .■ ~