AMATEUR SPORTS

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXV, Issue 22946, 26 January 1938, Page 18

AMATEUR SPORTS

BELAY COMPETITIONS MEETING AT HAMILTON FOUR RECORDS ESTABLISHED There have been several instances in New Zealand sport in recent years of athletes who have been overlooked by the selectors of touring tennis achieving outstanding performances after the team has sailed. There was another instance on Saturday at the Auckland provincial relay championship meeting at Hamilton when Miss Edna Munro, over whom there has been so much controversy, succeeded in breaking her own long jump record by clearing 18ft. 2in. It was her misfortune that at the Empire Games trials in Wellington she was unable to produce anything like Saturday's form and was well beaten by Miss Strachan, of Otago. The relay meeting was only the second one to bo held, but like tho first at Carlaw Park last year, it was a great success, being popular with the large crowd as a spectacle aud with the athletes from a competitive point of view. Hinemoa Park was in fine condition and four fresh records were established during the afternoon. As anticipated, the Hamilton Club was the most successful during the afternoon and in winning 10 of the 30 relay events and also gaining many minor placing* it gained 56 points which easily annexed the Kohn Shield from last year's winner, Old Grammarians, The latter on this occasion was second with 36 points.

AUSPICIOUS OPENING BRILLIANT SPRINTERS The meeting opened auspiciously when the brilliant Hamilton quartet of sprinters, comprising Roper, Gwynne, Elliott and Gooseman, won the 440 yards relay in the fast record time of 44 4-os. It is doubtful if there is another club quartet in the Dominion which could defeat the South Auckland combination. More efficient baton changing, which was not up to standard throughout the meeting, would see this team clip at least another second oft the time it made on Saturday.

Rotorua surprised by gaining second place in this event. It won narrowly from a smart Lynndale combination. Hamilton was naturally favourite for the other sprint relay, the 880 yards, comprising four men at 220 yards each, but there was a surprise when Ellerslie won nicely from Old Grammarians and Technical" M. Baker was responsible for a fine run in this event and also in the next, the 440 yards, in which he ran last man for Ellerslie. In the 440 yards Hamilton held the advantage all the way and its last man, Sharkey, just stayed on long enough to hold off Baker, who finished very fast and must have registered close to 50 seconds for the distance. The Auckland Club, with Haydon, Dare and Clarke in its team, was the popular pick for the two miles relay, but it was beaten into third place by a surprisingly good Hamilton team, comprising Fell. Sylvester, Sharkey and Irwin, who won in the record time of 8m 235. Grammar was second, while last year's winner, University, was well beaten.

TITLE RETAINED TECHNICAL'S ONLY WIN The next event, the four miles, saw Technical register its only victory at the meeting, when it retained the title won last year with a strong combination. Wade, Harding and Neil, of last year's quartet, again competed, but Cooper, who has now retired, was replaced by Best. Hamilton registered another second in this event, while Auckland was again third. The three miles teams' championship last year was the most interesting and keenly-contested event on the programme Jind Technical won hy only one point from Lynndale after Cooper had outsprinted Crompton in the straight. The result on Saturday was. reversed, Lynndale gaining the decision after Crompton finished a good winner over J. Neil, of Technical. The one mile walk saw Lynndale gain an easy victory in 6m 495. The Otahuhu Ladies' Club had a most successful afternoon. In winning five of the six events on the programme for ladies, the club teams put up a very fine performance. In the 220 yards relay the team established a record of 27 seconds, while its time of 54 seconds for the quarter-mile relay was also of a high standard. There was only one outstanding performance in the field and jumping events. This was the 39ft. 2in. shot putt of Main, of the Papnkura Club. His effort would have won many a national championship in the past and Main only needs to concentrate on this event and obtain a more correct balance to achieve perhaps a record performance.