AMATEUR ATHLETICS

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXI, Issue 21731, 21 February 1934, Page 14

AMATEUR ATHLETICS

DOMINION CHAMPIONSHIPS THREE AUCKLAND VICTORIES RECORD TO H. K. BRAINSBY The 43rd national track and fiold championships, decided at Wellington last Friday and Saturday, were favoured with good conditions and the competitors gave a serie9 of displays up to tho highest standard of New Zealand athletics. Oniv two records were broken .and one equalled during the meeting, but the general form was high and New Zealand standard times and distances were broken in practically every event by all the placed competitors. Aucklanders were particularly pleased with H. K. Brainsby's great leap of 48ft. 2iin., which broke Cameron's hop, step and jump record by Biin. Tho second record went when Driscoll walked to register 3m 1 3-5s in the half-mile walk, thus lowering It. Cameron's record by l-ss. The same athlete also made excellent time when ho won the one mile walking championship in Gm 375, after leading practically all the wav.

Puilar, of Otago, one of tho surprises of tho meeting, then created a stir by finishing with a sensational run in the 440 yds. hurdles to head off Anderson and win in 56 2-os, equalling the record time made by Anderson in winning the event last vear.

Canterbury easily retained the title of champion province, with Otago again in second place and Hawke's Bay, Wellington and Auckland next. The Auckland team of sevon members was the smallest competing, and from the start had no chance for the shield. Consequently, with three wins, two seconds and two thirds to its credit, the team really came through the meeting with quite a good average.

Success of Aucklanders The success of Hackett and Brainsby in the jumping events was a surprise to the southerners, who have monopolised these events for years. Haekett's win in the high jump was all the more meritorious, as he was not officially selected for the team, and travelled to the championships at his own expense, in the jump-off at sft. lOin. with Crowe, the title-holder, he cleared the bar with a beautiful leap, but the Wellington man could not make this height and had io take second place with sft. 9in. Brainsbv showed his class in coming second to Cameron in the broad jump on Friday, when he jumped 21ft. 7iin. His winning effort of 48ft. 2iin. in the hop, step and jump on Saturday to defeat Schnicdeman was it particularly fine one and brought great applause from the crowd. J. W. Savidan was in his top form for the three miles and he easily added another title to his already long list. He was one of the stars of the meeting and received the greatest ovation of any as he raced down the straight to record the fast time of 14m 37 2-ss. In the mile he ran his usual fine race, but ho could not hold the fast young runners over the closing stages. Savidan may contest the marathon next year, and Saturday's race was probably his last appearance in a New Zealand track championship event. A. R. Wilson ran a fine mile, and it was only a super effort over the last 20yds. on the part of McLachlan that robbed the Aueklander of a national title in his first start. Favourite for the event, he was always well placed in a fast-moving field and, notwithstanding two challenges at the head of the straight, he appeared a certain winner, when the Otago crack came with a brilliant run that could not be offset. Walker's Bad Luck

V. Walker had bad luck in straining a muscle as he finished his heat of the 220 yds. He had previously qualified for the final of the 100 yds. also, after running a close second to McFarlane. Although very sore, and naturally upset, he contested the final of the shorter race on Saturday, but it was too much for the muscle and it was impossible for him to start in the 220 yds. W. S. Bainbridge ran fast and well, but found the opposition just too strong. He missed the final of the 220 yds., but in the quarter-mile he finished a good third to Broadway and Watt,

F. A. Finlayson was tbo youngest athlete competing, both in age and experience, but nevertheless he rose to the occasion and performed really well. He was second in his heafT of the 120 yds. hurdles, but could not compete in the final, as only winners qualified. In the 220 yds. hurdles, however, ho won the fourth heat nicely,' and in the final ran a close third to two really high-class hurdlers in Sharpley and McLeod. McLeod, the Wellington hurdle champion, was one of the unlucky ones. He did not start in the final of the 120 yds. hurdles, as he was reserving himself for the 220 yds., in which event he was lending, and running brilliantly, when he hit the eighth hurdle hard, lost his stride, was passed in a Hash by Sharpley, and beaten by a yard.