THE FAILURE OF ROSE.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXIII, Issue 19372, 6 July 1926, Page 8

THE FAILURE OF ROSE.

SEVERAL PROBABLE CAUSES.

SERIOUS EFFECT OF CLIMATE. UNUSED TO CINDER TRACKS. [BY TELEGRAPH. —OWN CORRESPONDENT.] CHRISTCHURCH, Monday. A well-known former champion runner of New Zealand has written for the Sun some reasons for the apparent failure of Randolph Rose, the New Zealand distance champion, in the English athletic championships. The writer has had some experience of running in the Old Country and gives some information unknown to the average citizen of this Dominion. He says: —'"The cabled results of the championships bring a feeling of keen disippomtment to those who expected great things from our New Zealand champion, Rose. Already one hears the man in the street saying that he was over-boosted in this country, that he never was a worldbeater and that he is only a good handicap man when in class company. These statements are, of course, sheer nonsense. Rose is undoubtedly the greatest runner up to three miles that New Zealand or Australia has produced and he is a real champion. Then why has he failed ?

"The reasons are at present purely a matter for conjecture, but there probably are several. The first and most important is that he is sure to be affected by that bete noire of all travelling athletes, change of climate. Our climate is dry, sharp and bracing, while that of England is damp, dull and enervating. The effect on a newly-arrived athlete is extraordinary. Instead of being keen for work and pitching to get the shoos on, he finds he is tired and lifeless and has literally to drive himself out on to the track. The duration of this state of affairs varies according to the constitution of the individual athlete, but rarely does it pass off under two to three months and sometimes it takes longer. " It seems fairly obvious, from the inconsistency of Rose's performances to date, that the climate has 'got him,' and time alone will smooth this difficulty out of his path. A change of climate will turn a champion into a hack, but always remember that the champion is still there and will sooner or later find form. What effect the cinder tracks have had we cannot tell. We know Rose is not sound in his legs and it may be that he has felt unduly the effects of running on cinders. The cinders are very fast, and they are very hard on the legs. To those unused to them cinders often bring trouble and surprise pains develop which may last for quite a long time and are quite sufficient to prevent a man reaching his top form. This may seem a small thing, but it is another difficulty, and a lot of little ones soon combine to make one large insurmountable one. "Above all it must be remembered that Rose has been in Britain liot more than a few weeks and it is early yet to dub him a failure. Give him and McHolm a little longer and one feels that he will still do things that will make the athletic world sit up and rub its eyes."

PROGRAMME TO BE CARRIED OUT. DOMINION COUNCIL'S DECISION. [BY TELEGRAPH. —PRESS ASSOCIATION. J WELLINGTON, Monday. At to-night's meeting of the New Zealand Amateur Athletic Association, in reply to a cablegram from Dr. Porritt giving the results of the English championship meeting apd asking for instructions regarding the future programme, the council decided to cable Dr. Porritt that it was quite satisfied with his efforts and to carry on the programme. It was stated that information was to hand that Rose was not in his best form on Saturday and suffering from a cold.