AMATEUR ATHLETICS

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXI, Issue 21755, 21 March 1934, Page 16

AMATEUR ATHLETICS

EVENTS AT STADIUM OUTSTANDING PERFORMANCES ST. PATRICK'S DAY SPORTS The annua! St. Patrick's Day sports have earned a reputation for providing fine athletic contests arid the meeting at the Western Spring? Stadium last Saturday was no exception. A feature that added considerably to the attraction this year was the mechanical hare greyhound racing, which was conducted without any hitches such as often mar a new sport. In the athletic section the outstanding competitor was undoubtedly I>. Baird. of the Otahuhu Club, who was having his first racing in open company in Auckland. He came through a great day's sport by winning the 500 yards. 220 yards and 440 yards open handicaps and annexing both the St. Patrick's .and the Victor Ludorurn Cross. Hts performances on much tighter marks in future will be watched with interest, as he gave ample proof that he is a natural runner. V. Walker was running fast, and is quite fit again, but Elliot was not going quite as freely as his supporters hoped he would. The champion, however, has the knack of rising to the occasion and he is sure to be going better on Saturday. A. V. Anderson also showed to advantage in the sprints, and gained a second and a third placing. E. Kedgley won his heat of the 100 yards in great, style, while two other sprinters who were moving nicely were W. Miller and X. Armistead. Fast SSO Yards Eace The SSO yards provided perhaps the best race of the day. A big field forced the pace risht from the start and a thrilling finish down the whole straight between G. Whyc, G. Hdl and L. Barker resulted in the trio finishing practically abreast, the judges placing them in the above order. G. Hill stayed on well with his two stronger opponents and ran easily his best race of the season. Whye ran a well-judged race and timed his finishing effort to perfection. W. Whitmore also ran very well and just failed to stay on with the placed men after leading throughout the last lap. The mile was the front-markers' race all the way and there was not a hack-marker tn the first halfdozen places. Francis showed excellent judgment in going out alone and making the pace after catching the limit men, and he stayed on well to win nicely by 10 yards from C. Littler and J. Dolan, who again ran a splendid race. Barker. Vaider and Cooper, the three back men, had no chance and made little effort over the last lap and a-half. The broad jump revealed a high standard of jumping. J. Lynch cleared 21 feet with a really fine leap, while H. Roper and Hooka way also cleared over 20 feet with good jumps. Altogether it was easily the best meeting held at the stadium this season. The university championships were held at the Domain last Wednesday and although the fields were generally small, the winpers in practically every event were forced to register good times and distances. J. D. Lewis won the two sprints in 10 3-os and 23 4-ss, while Kedgley easily won the quarter and half-mile races in 52 4—3s and 2m os respectively. The only fresh records were made in the long jump, and the hop, step and jump by H. K. Bra ins by. the New Zealand champion and recordholder. In these events he cleared 21ft. lOin. and 46ft. 9lin. with magnificent leaps. He completed a big day by also winning the high jump at oft. 3in. and running second in the 120 yards hurdles and third in the 100 yards fiat. There was a surprise in the secondary schools' half-mile scratch race, when Watt, the brilliant young Auckland junior champion, was sensationally beaten in the race down the straight by J. M. Stevenson, of the MountAlbert Grammar School. A. J. Savers brilliantly wen the secondary schools' 100 yards scratch race in 10 3-os.