AMATEUR ATHLETICS

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXIV, Issue 22900, 1 December 1937, Page 24

AMATEUR ATHLETICS

EMPIRE GAMES TRIALS LIST OF RECOMMENDATIONS E. FORNE A NOTABLE OMISSION Brilliant weather conditions prevailed.,on Saturday for the provincial trial meeting staged under the control of the Auckland Centre of the New Zealand Amateur Athletic Association at Carlaw. Park for the purpose of selecting representatives to take part in the Dominion trials at Wellington on December 11. Considering the short time athletes. have had to work themselves into form, performances were of a remarkably high standard and augured well for Auckland's prospects at the national meeting. After the meeting the selection committeo recommended certain athletes for invitations to compete at Wellington. The team is a strong one, but at the same trne it is regrettable to note the omission of E. Forne } Hamilton, who this season has some great middle-dis-tance times to his credit, but Avho on Saturday ran well below, his best form. This year Forne has won four successive races from the back mark at weekly meetings of the Hamilton Club, his times being 1.58 4-5 for 880 yards, 4.33 for the mile, 2.17 for 1000 yards and last aricl best of all, 3.10 for threequarters of a mile. In each of these runs Forne had to go round fields of from 20 to 30 runners and it can safely be said that no other middle-distance runner in the Dominion has such an imposing array of times to his credit this year. It is difficult to see why Forne, who finished second in the BSO yards trial, was not recommended, while men who finished third, and in some cases did not compete at all, and who have not been seen on the tracks this season, were considered. It is to be sincerely hoped that the New Zealand Council asks Forne to compete at Wellington. If,when making its recommendations, the provincial selectors adopted a policy of choosing athletes on their form on the day, as they apparently did in Forne's case, it is again difficult to see why they have omitted C. G. Goosman, also of Hamilton, who won two fine second placings in the 100 yards and 220 yards trials. He actually finished third in the shorter sprint, but M. C. Baker, who won brilliantly in 10 l-os, is unable to compete at Wellington. FINE JAVELIN THROW MISS MITCHELL'S PERFORMANCE Performances registered in a number of events compared very favourably with those of the last Empire Games held in London in 1934. One of the outstanding efforts was a 112 ft. 2in. javelin throw by Miss M. Mitchell, of the Kiwi Club, which bettered the winning distance in the ladies' javelin event at the 1934 Games by 6ft. 6Jin. This meritorious •performance places Miss Mitchell right in line for Dominion representative honours. The same athlete gained second place in the ladies' broad jump with a leap of 15ft. 4in. A sprinter who has come rapidly to the fore is H. Stanley, Lynndale Club, who gained second place to Baker in the 100 yards final. It is pleasing to see this promising young runner's nahie on the list of recommendations. Goosman was close up in third position, while the South Auckland title-holder, A. J. Denz, Hamilton, was inches away fourth. Denz ran with a bandaged leg, having strained a muscle earlier in the week. • The New Zealand champion, P. T. Bowie, University, was clearly superior to his opponents in the 120 yards high hurdles contest, in which he raced right away from the field to win as he liked in 15 4-ss. An unfortunate incident occurred in the 440 yards hurdles event, in which F. A. Finlayson, Old Grammarians, was thrown badly out of his stride when in a winning position owing to a hurdle -being placed wrongly on the track. This allowed H. D. Ball, University, to take the lead and win in 57 3-ss, with Finlayson second and Bowie third. The committee had no option but to decide on another trial, and this, together with the six miles trial, will take place at the Auckland Club's open meeting at the Domain on Saturday. After winning his heat in the 100 yards in 10 2-ss, A. J. Sayers, national quarter-mile champion, of Hamilton, won his heat of the 220 yards in 23 2-5s and followed this up with a decisive victory in the final in the good time for the track of 235. Sayers won by three yards after leading practically all the way. He appears to have greater speed than last year, which should stand him in good: stead over the 440 yards, J. G. LECKIE SHINES OUTSTANDING IN FIELD EVENTS First-class exhibitions of hammer and discus throwing were given by J. G. Leckie, Whangarei, who captured both these events „with efforts of 146 ft. 3in. and 108 ft. 6in., respectively. He is a valuable acquisition to the province and should take a prominent part in the competitions at Wellington. Commendable judgment was shown by C. W. Bell, Otahuhu, in jumping past Forne in the second lap of the 880 yards to open up a big gap and win . the event in 2.2 2-ss. This time, and also that registered in the mile and three miles, 4.30 2-5s and 15.14, respectively, were all slower than was expected. This was no doubt due to the loose surface of the track, which had recently been top-dressed and was by no means fast, •' * : - A. O. Dare confirmed the opinion that lie will be in the top flight of New Zealand milers this season by capturning the mile run by a comfortable margin from L. B. Clarke, Auckland, and W. A. Briggs, Lynndale. The three miles event was deservedly captured by R. Crompton, Lynndale, who is now the province's foremost distance runner. He is expected to carry off the six miles contest next Saturday. Clarke was again second man home, with Dare filling third place. Probably now the fastest lady sprinter in the Dominion, Miss D, Linnley. Auckland, won both the 100 yards and 220 yards ladies' events in the good times of 11 3-5s and 20 l-ss. With the retirement of Mrs. ITeeps, who as Miss 1. Campbell, of Morrinsville, won the national ladies' 100 yards title for the second successive time last season, Miss Lumley, who ran second to -Miss Campbell, now has a great chance of, securing two first placings at Wellington. Another dual lady winner was Miss E. 11. Munro, Kiwi, who captured the 5)0 yards hurdles in 13 l-5s and the broad jump with 16ft. 4in. The javelin throw went to K. I). Gillespie, University, 175 ft. lOjin., who just defeated C. P. Clegg, University. Clegg was recently involved in a motoring accident, and is at present i not in nearly bis best form.