AMATEUR ATHLETICS.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXIII, Issue 19254, 17 February 1926, Page 15

AMATEUR ATHLETICS.

AKARANA CLUB'S MEETING. AMERICANS AT WELLINGTON. RIVALRY OF ROSE AND HAHN. Good management, with the events run well to time, was a pleasing feature of the Akarana Club's meeting at Carlaw Park last Saturday. It is disappointing to see such poor attendances at athletic meetings, and not at all encouraging to those officials who spend so much time in the interests of amateur sport. Saturday's meeting was brimful of interest, and competition was very keen. Rnmo fir.o t

bome hne individual performances were recorded, and on the form"- shown it is evident that local talent is improving. The judges were set a difficult task in placing the runners in the final of the 100yd3. handicap, no fewer than six men finishing within a yard of S. G. Ferguson, who was declared the winner. Ferguson put plenty of dash into his finish and shows considerable promise. He is one of the most consistent sprinters seen in Auckland this season. The champion; L. C. Williams, made a bold bid for the honours, and was defeated only by inches. He is in fine form at present, and should do well in the handicap events against Scholz on March 13. A Promising Performer. W. Savidan, who won the one njile, and also gained second place in the halfmile,, was the outstanding performer over the distance events. However, he has yet to learn how to use judgment when running in a handicap, and if he pays more attention to this important branch of the game ha will probably become a worthy opponent to Rose. The public like to see a close finish in cycle races, and plenty of excitement was gained in almost every event on Saturday. In fact, close finishes were a feature of a good day's sport. F. J. Casey was the best performer, winning both the one-mile and three-mile handicaps, and he also gained second place in the two-mile race. Casey rides with plenty of judgment, and is the most consistent cyclist riding in Auckland at present. That brilliant rider, M. P. Byrnes, reserved himself for the junior events, both of which he won in good style. Byrnes has made himself very popular by reason of his great finishing efforts. In the half-mile he appeared to have little chance of catching his field, but over the last 300 yds. he-was seen to advantage, eventually winning by a bare length. The Americans' Tour. W. Kyle, the Dominion 440 yds. champion, continues to live up to the reputation that his Wellington performances have made for him. On Saturday last Kyle comfortably defeated Lloyd Hahn m a fast quarter mile, both running from scratch. Kyle has been invited to compete at the return meeting of the Americans to bo held in Auckland on March 13. It was not unexpected to read that 13,000 people journeyed to Athletic Park, Wellington, drawn by the prospect of a great struggle between R. A. Rose and Lloyd Hahn. This time the New Zealand champion turned the tables on the American, and avenged his defeat at Masterton the previous week. A strong wind considerably hampered the runners, but Rose is credited with using better 'udgment than Hahn. The time, 4m. 26 4-55., is considered fast under the circumstances. „ ' *5 As a win now stands to the credit of both champions, competition between them in future meetings should be exceedingly keen, and their appearance in Christchurch on Saturday will arouse an interest which will extend throughout the Dominion.

In:this way the visit of the Americans hag already proved of inestimable value to amateur running in New Zealand. Rose, before the tour, was looked upon as a good athlete, on the grounds that he was the holder of the Australasian championship. But. when it was known that he 3sould have a chance of defeating the redoubtable American, public interest was immediately arouse-L With the interest of the public behind athletics, there is no reason why the sport, should not regain some of its lost popularity. BOXING IN BRITAIN. PROMISTNG HEAVY-WEIGHT. VISITORS FROM AMERICA. England is sparing no effort to produce good boxers, and although the search for them may not be pursued as scientifically as it is in America, British sportsmen have their hearts set on bringing back some of the many honours lost to • the other country. A heavy-weight boxer of more than ordinary merits has recently appeared, but his performances deserve more praise than has yet been given him. This is Charlie Chetwynd, of Leicester, who has made for himself a record 01 victories that is one of the best in the country. He knocked out Billy PresTage, the Rugby heavy-weight, who was trained by Tex O'Borke, the American promoter. Chetwynd is not an attractive man in the ring, but he has plenty of energy and also has a stiff punch. When the men for the next eliminating heavy-weight contests at the National Sporting Club are selected, ha will probably be the first to be invited. The winner is to meet Scott, and experts consider Chetwynd's chances of obtaining the fight with the champion to be particularly good. [ There has probably never been a season when fewer American boxers appeared in British rings than in 1925. This year, however, it is likely that England will have many visitors. " .j 1 * Bartley Madden, the Irish-Aifterican heavy-weight, who wants to fight Phil Scot for the British title, is already in the country, and it is practically certain that Young Stribbling will be among several others who will visit London. Stribling is one of the most interesting fighters in the world to-day. He was destined to be a boxer from the day he was born, and with this end in view he was trained by his parents just as soon as he was able to put up his hands. - ■ Only twenty years of age, he has had scores of fights, and there are those who say he will one dav be heavy-weight champion of the world. It is not yet known with whom Stribling will be matched, but there are many boxers in England who are willing to fight with the American youth. His prospective visit is a great topic of conversation in British boxing circles, and his appearance is sure to be watched very keenly. ■ A PROMISING x ATHLETE. ALL-ROUND PERFORMANCES. Oxford University possesses a fine, allround sportsman in C. E. W. Macintosh. He is a wing-threequarter of note, having scored his team's only try in last year's match with Cambridge. While at Eastbourne College he won a ski-ing tournament in Switzerland, was first in four- events in the Public Schools athletic championships at Stamford Bridge, and scored a century against a good M.C.C. side. He is an athlete of whom more should be heard in the future.