CHAMPION ATHLETES

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXVII, Issue 23602, 11 March 1940, Page 8

CHAMPION ATHLETES

CENTENNIAL MEETING FUNCTION AT WELLINGTON GOVERNOR-GENERAL ATTENDS [BY TELEGRAPH —PRESS ASSOCIATION*] WELLINGTON, Sunday A fanfare of trumpets preceded tlio official opening of the national track and field championships of the New Zealand Athletic Association. V. P Boot, the Olympic Games representative, who is now in camp at Trentham. mounted the dais in the centre of tlx ground and, in accordance with custom carried out at the opening of the Olympic Gaines, took the oath on behalf of all competitors. "The spirit of the oath taken to ama teurism was that predominant in their hearts," said the Lord Galwav, Gover-nor-General, in declaring the championships open. "They would be remembered as worthy of the centennial occasion."

The deputy-Prime Minister, the Hon. P. Fraser, said the occasion was the record successful one that the New Zealand Amateur Athletic Association had determined should mark the centennial rear. The Minister of Internal Affairs, the Hon. W. Pi. Parry, congratulated the association 011 the fine way it had arranged and carried out the meeting. A further fanfare of trumpets heralded the Governor-General's opening of the championships and hundreds of pigeons were liberated. The New Zealand flag was unfurled from a field masthead and the band played the national anthem. At the end of each championship the three placed competitors were mounted on the platform and, to the accompaniment, of a trumpet fanfare, received their medals and the applause of the crowd. Provincial flags wore hoisted. There was a parade of athletes before the start. Twenty-six men and two women who were former champions headed the parade, led by the Sl-vears-old former champion, H. Stowell.