AMATEUR ATHLETICS.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXVIII, Issue 21068, 30 December 1931, Page 13

AMATEUR ATHLETICS.

ROTORUA'S INITIAL SPORTS. SUCCESSES OF AUCKLANDERS. FINE RUNNING BY SCHOOLBOY. The opening meeting of the newlyformed Rotorua Amateur Athletic Club proved a huge success when held in the Government grounds on Boxing Day. There was a good attendance of the public, which was treated to some excellent sport on a first-class track. Athletes from Wanganui, Taranaki, Wellington, Rotorua, Taupo and Auckland competed. The programme, which went with a swing throughout the afternoon, opened with the 100 yards handicap which brought out on excellent field. The heats wero all keenly ooutcsted, while the final provided a thrilling contest in which W. Roberts, Auckland secondary schools' sprint champion, ran a beautiful race to win by a foot in 10 seconds dead. This was good time for a schoolboy from tho five yards mark. Other starters in this event included Athol Garlick, ex-Auck-land and New Zealand quarter-mile flat and hurdle champion, who was running again after a break of three years, .anil Alex lleid, a brilliant young sprinter from Taupo who has just been reinstated as an amateur. The 880 yards handicap was the next event and this, too, was a spectacular race. Six hundred yards were covered hefore the back-markers were up with the leaders, and, entering the straight, a, bunch of fivo runners all had a chance. L. C. Barker, however, produced a brilliant, finish to score by five yards from N. F. Cooper in the good time of 2m 1 3-ss. Won on tho Tape. W. Roberts appeared to have the senior 220 yards handicap well in hand when ho faltered about ten yards from the tape and T. K. Cambie, a fine runner, well known to Aucklanders, finishing strongly, beat him right on tho tape. A. Garlick gave a good exhibition in the 220 yards hurdles, in which lie just failed to catch 11. Steele, a young Rotorua runner to whom lie was conceding ten yards. The one-mile race attracted a good field, with Barker, Cooper and Dawson, of Rotorua, together on the back mark. A fast pace was made by the leaders in the first two laps, but tho back men closed up during the third lap and at the bell were within striking distance. Cooper gained tho lead 300 yards from home and, running strongly, won from Barker, who again produced a fine finish. C. J. Thompson, of Hamilton, ran well to score in tho 440 yards handicap in 50 seconds from the 20 yards mark. An exhibition walk by S. J. Gudsell was greatly appreciated by the spectators. Over half a mile, he equalled the New Zealand standard time of 3m 15s. A medley race of 600 yards created great excitement. Roberts led at the end of the first 100 yards backward run, but in the 200 yards walk Gudsell went to the front and was first away on the 200 yards eye- ! ling stretch from Roberts and Cooper. S The lastnamed, however, quickly gained j a lead over this stretch, but in jumping I off his cycle he crashed and Gudsell was first away on the final 100 yards run to the tape. The rest of the field now closed in and in an exciting finish Gudsell cleared the hurdle placed ten yards from tho tape and won by two yards from Cooper, with Barker close up behind. Tho 440 yards relay was very keenly contested and resulted in a combined Rotorua-Taupo team winning narrowly from the Auckland team, with Rotorua close up third. Form at Evening Meeting. The Technical. Old Boys' club's last evening meeting at the Domain saw good fields competing in all events. Darlev and Schiiiedeman were the heat winners in the 220 yards handicap, but in a thrilling final the scratch man, Meredith, came through well to win by a foot from KerrTaylor, with Schiiiedeman a similar distance back third.

The manner in which C. Dow ran and won the 1000 yards handicap fully confinned the opinions passed on him earlier in the season. He was on a good mark, but he rested on his handicap until caught by tho back men. He then dropped in behind them until tho last 50 yards, when he again produced a great sprint. These tactics proved sound. He is sure to be on a back mark in future, but ho will still bo a very hard man to beat.

R. Cameron scored a popular victory in the one-mile walk handicap from R. Killeen, who also gave a fine exhibition. A competitor in tho one mile at Rotorua was Fred Silver, the popular Wellington harrier captain, who is well known to Auckland athletes. F. L. Witt-en, Auckland one mile champion, is back in Auckland again and will be competing after (he holidays. The rinnuul meeting at Whatawhata on New Year's Day will he the next fixture to take place and it is anticipated that that a large number of city runners and cyclists will again be competing. Trenchman's Record Mile. Twenty-five thousand wildly-excited Frenchmen gave their wonderful champion. Jules Ladoumegue, a great reception at the Pershing Stadium, when ho set up a new world's record of 4ni 9 l-5s for the mile. The remarkable feature of the run, which was 1 l-5s faster than Nurmi's old record, was the ease with which it was accomplished. Jean Keller was not well and was unable to do his proper share of the pacemaking, and the youthful Morel ran splendidly to lead at the quarter-mile mark in 60 4-ss, 500 metres in 75 2-ss, 800 metres in 2m 3 l-5s and the half mile in 2m 4 l-ss. However, tho pace was not to Ladoumegue's liking, so he raced along to the front with wonderful long strides to make his own pace. Passing 1000 metres (1098 yds), in 2ni 34 3-ss, he was a shade behind Nurnu's time.

At, 1200 metres Ladoumegue was just in front, but at the three-quarter mile mark (Nurmi 3m 6 7-10s) he was behind again in 3in Bs. Then, however, he put in an absolutely marvellous; last lap of 61 l-ss, getting in front of Nurmi's time (3m 535) at 1500 metres in 3m 52 2-ss, and finishing the full mile in 4rn 9 l-ss. Ladoumeguo broke the tape as if. just settling down in his stride rather than finishing the race. Nurmi's time for his lasL lap was 63 7-10s. Nurmi ran to his watch when he set his record and he also finished with the utmost ease. On tho following day lie created a world's record for 5000 metres of 14m 39 9-10s and 3 miles in 14ni 1.1 l-ss.

All four competitors in the l|igh jump at tho recent athletic contest between England and Germany cleared 6ft. 3in., but none of tlieiu could clear 6ft. 3ain., and so the points wero divided. At the same meeting, which was held at Cologne, the. English team, consisting of A. Harris, G. Hedges, W. Corncs and R. H. Thomas, won tho 6000 metres relay race in the. world's record time of 15m 55 3-ss. The previous record, held by Finland, was 16m 0 3-ss. The German team's time was 16ni 6s. Thomas van the last 1500 metres, 1640.4yd5., in 3m 545.