AMATEUR ATHLETICS

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXIII, Issue 22389, 8 April 1936, Page 20

AMATEUR ATHLETICS

SCHOOLS' CHAMPIONSHIPS, HIGH STANDARD ATTAINED ODDY'S BRILLIANT EFFORTS For its future athletic representation any province depends mainly upon its secondary schools. It is significant that this season alone several young athletes, all college champions of recent years, have, in the Auckland provincial championships, captured six titles, four second placings and six third placings. In addition to this the provincial champion relay team, holder of tho pie* miership for the last three years, includes two runners who still hold New Zealand schools' records. Most gratifying, therefore, were the several brilliant performances and the extremely high standards in* all three grades which marked Saturday's annual secondary schools' title meeting.

Again producing the majority of outstanding performers. Auckland Grammar carried off the senior championship for the fourth year in succession and tho intermediate championship for the fifth successive year. The junior competition developed into an exciting struggle between Auckland Grammar and Sacred Heart College, tho result filially resting on the last event, the relay race. In this the Sacred Heart team, handling the baton with precision, gained ground over every lap to score a decisive victory. Four senior athletes gave particularly impressive and promising displays. Outstanding was J. D. Oddv, Mount Albert Grammar, a strong and finelybuilt boy, who has already compiled a splendid record in open field events competition. In 1934 Oddy was nominated for inclusion in the schools' team w,hich competed at the Melbourne Centenary sports, but was deprived of a place by W. E. Coxhead, also of Mount Albert Grammar.

Since then Oddv has advanced rapidly. At this year's provincial championships he gave proof of his improvement by gaining second place in the throwing the discus and third place in the putting the shot championships, remarkable performances for a 17-year-old schoolboy. On Saturday, surpassing all previous efforts, he achieved a discus throw of 106 ft. 7jin. and a shot putt of 40ft. 4Jin., both of which, as this i 3 the third year these events have been included on the programme, have been set down as records.

A consistent performer in school sprinting and jumping contests, T. W. Bush, Auckland Grammar, excelled himself to win three titles, the 100 yds, 220 yds and the broad jump. In the shorter siprint he displayed great dash to forg;e ahead from the pistol and win by three yards, w'hile in the furlong, although challenged throughout by his team-mate, G. 11. Marriott, he finished strongly to record 23 l-ss, a fifth of a second outside the record. When ho cleared sft. siin. at his school sports H. Mills, Takapuna Grammar, was predicted as the likely winner of the high jump, and he fulfilled expectations to take the title with a height of sft. 4Jin. Mills enmloyed an unorthodox style, his method being an ordina:ry scissors rise to the bar, a screw clearance, and a neat landing, with the body facing the bar. The fourth excellent senior performance was that of It. L. Jones, winner of the 120 yds hurdles final in 16s. Had Jones been at all extended the previous best figures of 15 4-5s would undoubtedly have been equalled or bettered. This winner, using a perfect American straight-leg action, sped away from his fields in both the heat and final. 4