AMATEUR ATHLETICS.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXIV, Issue 19699, 27 July 1927, Page 16

AMATEUR ATHLETICS.

INCREASING POPULARITY.

CONSISTENCY OF ELLIOTT.

AUCKLAND CENTRE'S ACTIVITIES.

The popularity of amateur athletics in Auckland is evidenced each Saturday afternoon at the Domain by the increasing number of. entries ( for the various events. Some promising talent has been seen in action of late.

The remarkable consistency of the sprint champion, A. J. Elliott, is a feature of the winter meetings. Last Saturday the 100 yds. handicap provided the spectators with a thrilling finish. Elliott's brilliant sprint over the last ten yards, when he dived in a sensational manner to snatch victory by inches, would have roused the enthusiasm of thourands. Eight Wins in Ten Starts. It was Elliott's eighth win in ten starts—a remarkable performance. The Auckland champion started two seasons ago as a novice runner, and to-day he ranks with the best sprinters in New Zealand. Elliott's ambition is to win the Dominion sprint championship, and he should be in great form to meet Leadbetter, at Christchurch, early in December.

G. Kells ran a fine race in winning the cross-country event on Saturday, and over the last 200 yds. his sprint revealed a return to his best form. Kells has had a very severe season and he intends retiring from active racing, with a view to preparing for the cross-country events to be decided in September. R. G. Kirkwood is one of the most promising of the long-distance runners who have recently competed. Although he has raced prominently over sprint courses of lato, he intends to turn his attention to the longer races, and he is training to compete in the Auckland cross-country championships. Forthcoming Events. The Auckland Centre of the New Zealand Amateur Athletic Association has definitely decided to hold the five-miles amateur cross-country championship on Saturday, August 13- On Saturday, September 10, the 10,000 metres Auckland provincial cross-country championship will also be contested. Both carnivals will bo held at Alexandra Park, which is being placed at the disposal of the Auckland Centre on most generous terms by the executive of the Auckland Trotting Club. It is intended that the long-distance races shall start at the trotting track and finish down the straight in front of the grandstand. The courses for the principal events are yet to be decided. The Auckland Centre has also discussed a date for the holding of the provincial amateur championship, and tho first week in November nas been suggested for the meeting. This will give tho Auckland representative team every opportunity to be selected and put' into training for the New Zealand championships to TO de- i cided at Christchurch on December 9 and 10. Savidan's Expenses. J. W. Savidan, the New Zealand cross-country champion, will not be back from Australia in time to compete at the meeting on August 13, but it is almost certain that he will be included among the entries on September 10. With reference to Savidan's trip to Australia to contest the cross-country championship, to be held at Adelaide on August 6, it had been stated that Savidan was paying his own expenses to Adelaide. It now transpires that the expenses in connection with the trip are being guaranteed by the president of the Auckland Centre, Mr. W. Morton, and several prominent officials. R. Ohphant, a well-known ex-Auckland champion hurdler, who also represented Hawke's Bay, Auckland and New Zealand on the football field, left last week for Sydney to take up his residence there. Oliphant was a keen enthusiast in amateur athletics.

D. H. Grant, the Auckland hammer and shot-putting champion, recently returned from Australia and was a competitor at the Domain last Saturday. In the putting-the-shot competition he recorded .'33 ft. 3in., a fine performance under -winter conditions.

Records for Fenner's grounds, Cambridge, were smashed right and loft when the A.A.A. team triumphed in convincing fashion over the representatives of Cambridge University. First and, foremost, 11. H. Hodge equalled the sprint record in beating J. E. London, while H. 13. Stallard preserved an unbeaten record fnr Fenner's by taking the mile in 4m 18 4-ss—a second better than the previous record. Records for the ground were also achieved in the polo vault (J. T. Bond, Cambridge), while Lord Burghlev was in great form, equalling the British record in the high hurdles, and later taking the low hurdles in 24 9-10s—well inside t,ha grouud record.